Prof. Fengting LI, Vice Dean, UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD), Tongji University, Shanghai

Mr. Mahesh PRADHAN, Chief, Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU), UNEP DEPI, Nairobi

1:00-2:00 PM, 27 February 2013, Wednesday

2012 marked the 10th anniversary of UNEP-Tongji partnership since the establishment of the joint Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) in Shanghai.  Over the past 10 years, IESD has played a key role in capacity building and facilitating China-Africa environmental cooperation. Nearly 300 students from over 50 countries have graduated from the Masters and PhD programmes at IESD. An International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability has been hosted annually since 2010, bringing over 300 students each year to Shanghai.  Capacity building and technology transfer through China-Africa research projects has been ongoing, including mobilization of financial resources for joint activities.  IESD assisted with the translation of UNEP’s Green Economy report amongst other reports, and also supported the launch of the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES) on 5 June 2012, in the run up to Rio+20.

The Brown Bag discussion provides an opportunity to:

(i)  provide an update on IESD accomplishments over the past decade, focusing around four pillars - education, training, research and outreach;

(ii)  present IESD’s vision for the next 10 years, including transition of Tongji University towards a  “Sustainability Oriented University”;

 (iii)  explore opportunities to enhance collaboration with UNEP, including mobilization of resources from within China in support of joint projects.

For further information on this Brown bag event, please contact Mahesh.Pradhan@unep.org  or Ext. 23381 at UNEP/DEPI, Nairobi.