ClimBEco graduate research school

To foster a new generation of researchers that can address societal grand challenges BECC, together with the SRA MERGE have developed the interdisciplinary research school Climate, Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a changing world – ClimBEco. ClimBEco is financed by BECC, MERGE and the Faculty of Science in Lund and is open to all students enrolled as PhD students.

merge.lu.se
climbeco.lu.se

Courses and teachers

Courses are generally organized and taught by researchers involved in BECC and MERGE. A number of courses have been developed that relate to key issues in BECC, e.g. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning in Agriculture and Forestry, Global Environmental Governance Today – Actors, Institutions, Complexity and Conservation and Landscape Genetics in a Changing World.

Inter-disciplinary skills and mentorship programme

Through ClimBEco, PhD students associated with BECC acquire inter-disciplinary skills and an overview of the environmental, global change and sustainability fields with their many disciplinary facets. A mentorship programme supports PhD students in career planning, building and strengthening networks within academia and the employment market

Read more about ClimBEco and all that it offers at climbeco.lu.se

Undergraduate studies

The vast majority of PIs in BECC are involved in teaching and development of bachelor and masters programs at the universities including environmental science, physical geography, political science, geology, economics, and biology.

Participants

Skills – from analysis to risk assessment

The study programmes provides advanced skills in synthesis, interpretation, critical analysis and communication of science-based knowledge and research results. Students also learn to assess risks and make informed decisions under imperfect knowledge of facts, a key to providing expert advice and informing the decision making process, e.g. in the policy area. Depending on the specific educational programme, they gain expert knowledge in e.g. ecological modelling, biodiversity and ecosystem services, policy impact and strategic climate planning.

Teaching also includes supervision of bachelor and masters theses, e.g. in 2013 more than 40 master students were supervised by BECC researchers.

Thesis work – often outside the universities

Many students in programs within the BECC research area do their thesis work outside the universities at authorities or private enterprises. Many programmes also engage employees of companies, agencies and authorities as teachers, serving to provide students with clear examples of the practical applicability of the skills and knowledge they acquire through their studies in the context of a potential future workplace.

Graduates find jobs as experts, policy advisors or administrators in the public sector (e.g.  Ministry of Rural Affairs, Board of Agriculture, regional councils) or in the private sector (e.g. as forest advisors, consultants).

Are you interested in doing your thesis work connected to BECC?

If you would like to do your thesis work connected to one of BECC's research areas, please look through the BECC grand research themes and contact the specific theme leader to discuss the possibilities.

Grand research themes