There are many paths to a sustainable future, but they all require social, cultural and political change. New research is essential, but it’s not enough on its own. We need experts from across all academic disciplines to be able to advocate for the environment. And our aim at the Grantham Centre is to foster these advocates, tomorrow’s sustainability leaders.
In order to do this, the Grantham Centre funds special training of the Grantham Scholars. This training provides Grantham Scholars with the expertise to advocate for evidence-based change.
We have identified key areas of vital expertise, for example research skills, policy engagement, and interdisciplinary working. These core areas form the basis of our training. We also cover business and enterprise, public engagement, media engagement, and leadership.
Festival of Debate. In order to learn key skills, such as working across expertises, Grantham Scholars take part in Festival of Debate. Scholars are shown how to find a diverse range of speakers in order to create engaging and relevent debate. And scholars develop event organisation skills, such as promotion and using social media. These debates bring key sustainability organisations and thinkers to the University.
How to Write 101. This course covers the basics of writing content for any medium, including blogs, opinion pieces, creative writing and social media. Attendees learn how to write engaging content on any topic, because this is now a vital skill for researchers hoping to communicate their work.
UK Parliamentary Impact and Engagement. This workshop demonstrates how UK public policy is formulated by Government, then debated and legislated by Parliament. The workshop provides an opportunity for the students to engage with individuals involved with policy and law-making or in providing advice to Government or Parliament. We provide guidance on how researchers can become involved in providing evidence or advice to policy makers and legislators.