2021 Next Generation Learning and Skills - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

2021 Next Generation Learning and Skills - Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment - India

Academy for Conservation and Sustainability Studies

The Academy for Conservation Science and Sustainability Studies, ATREE, prepares the next generation of environmental leaders. The Academy conducts an interdisciplinary PhD programme for students from backgrounds as diverse as economics, management, wildlife biology and sociology, among others. Faculty at the Academy also hail from interdisciplinary backgrounds.

The Academy provides a wide range of resources and field stations for facilitating cutting-edge research on natural and social sciences. This pioneering approach has provided novel insights over the years such as the detrimental impact of exclusionary marine conservation on artisanal fishers, the intensification of wildfires by invasive alien species and the devastating loss of livestock to free-ranging dogs in the Himalayas, to name a few.

It also offers certificate courses that are designed for students, professionals, practitioners, policy-makers, and advocacy groups that work in the field of environment, conservation and sustainable development.

Top 3 learnings:

1. Creating interdisciplinary academics and institutionalizing a model interdisciplinary program.
2. Acquiring diverse skills for science communication, dissemination, and outreach.
3. Educating and mentoring interdisciplinary leaders in conservation, sustainability, and human well-being.