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Upcoming Courses

The 2025/26 course year comprises two short courses, SC92 and SC93, as well as the 49th six-month long course, EM49. Further information on the courses and application periods can be found below. In addition to the course descriptions, please also note our hints on application, explanations regarding the application portal and answers to frequently asked questions. 

► If you have an important question that is not addressed on our website or in the help texts within the application form, please contact us at unep@mailbox.tu-dresden.de. Before reaching out, we ask you to check the resources provided thoroughly.

92nd UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course — Sustainable Mobility: Transforming Urban Spaces (SC92)
Duration: August 17, 2025 – September 21, 20251 (on-site in Dresden)
Application period: February 11, 2025 – March 18, 2025

93rd UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Short Course — Navigating Water Challenges: Climate Change and Resource Management (SC93)
Duration: October 05, 2025 – November 09, 20252 (on-site in Dresden)
Application period: February 25, 2025 – April 01, 2025

49th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries (EM49)
Duration: January 08, 2026 – July 24, 20263 (on-site in Dresden)
Application period: March 18, 2025 – April 23, 2025

► Download the description of the upcoming courses here: UNEP-UNESCO_BMUV-Postgraduate-Courses_2025-26.pdf
 

Alumni seminar: Nature-Based Solutions: Enhancing the Water-Food-Biodiversity Nexus
Duration: November 26, 2025 – December 10, 2025 (on-site in Dresden)
Application period: March 11, 2025 – April 14, 2025

READ MORE HERE FIRST BEFORE APPLYING

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In: Africa, Entrepreneurship, Fellowships, Jobs, News, Workshop

The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens (BKMC) is proud to host the 4th edition of the Youth AgriChampions – a Peer2Peer workshop series on climate adaptation in agriculture. The initiative brings together youth grassroot voices from the world of smallholder farming and agricultural entrepreneurship in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zambia, to share their on-the-ground experience with adapting their practices to climate change. During the workshops, the BKMC Youth AgriChampions will develop a youth demand paper to be elevated by BKMC Co-chair and 8th Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon, in his advocacy work.  This year’s thematic focus will be on locally-led adaptation for smallholder farming.

In the past years, selected Youth AgriChampions joined the BKMC delegation on the ground at the African Food System Forum in Rwanda and COP29 in Azerbaijan to launch the Youth AgriChampions Demand Paper and represent farmers’ voices around the world.

Upon successful completion of the workshop series, participants are awarded certificates signed by Ban Ki-moon himself and become part of our ever-growing BKMC Youth AgriChampions Alumni Network.

The applications for the 2025 cohort are open from 11th until 24th March 2025. Apply by 24 March 2025 at 23:59 CET.

Application criteria:

  • Smallholder farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and youth employed in the agricultural sector who want to share experiences, advocate for smallholder farmers, and work on developing a youth-demand paper for world leaders
  • Age 18-35 years
  • Citizens/nationals of the following countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia
  • Working/worked on a climate adaptation project or have expertise in the topic
  • Keen interest in agriculture, climate change, and food systems

Apply here

This workshop series allows innovative young minds from the grassroots world of smallholder agriculture to interact and express their wishes for solutions and support on the challenges they face with agricultural adaptation to climate change in their respective countries. Over the course of three workshops, the Youth AgriChampions will discuss and develop a set of demands which will be collated in a paper and presented to the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Co-chair of the Ban Ki-moon Centre, Ban Ki-moon, who will use it in his advocacy work.

During the first two workshops, input will be given by experts in agricultural adaptation to inspire the Youth AgriChampions for the development of their demands. These demands will also be used to advocate on behalf of smallholder farmers and smallholder agriculture stakeholders at COP30 to help support agricultural adaptation efforts.

Upon successful completion of the workshop series, participants are invited to attend the online closing ceremony during which they will be awarded certificates signed by Ban Ki-moon himself. Furthermore, five best practice examples of the Youth AgriChampions’ current work on adapting to climate change will also be showcased on the Ban Ki-moon Centre’s platforms.

The workshop series is hosted and created by the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens, under the framework of the Elevating Agricultural Adaptation program. Find the workshop series dates below. 100% participation in the workshops is required.

  • Workshop 1: 14th May, 16:30 – 18:30 CEST
  • Workshop 2: 21st May, 16:30 – 18:30 CEST
  • Workshop 3: 28th May, 16:30 – 18:30 CEST
  • Closing Ceremony: 10th July, 16:30 – 18:30 CEST

READ MORE HERE FIRST BEFORE APPLYING

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In: Africa, Conference, Volunteering, Workshop

Are you a young student, professional, expert or visionary from Africa interested in nurturing positive change in Africa’s communities, landscapes and seascapes?

Look no further! For the third time, the GLF Landscape Leadership Camp is taking place in Africa.

Apply now for a spot at the 2025 GLF Landscape Leadership Camp for the chance to connect and collaborate with other landscape leaders. Co-designed by the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF), Youth in Landscapes Initiative (YIL), and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the camp will take place over three days in Kenya in June 2025.

This immersive experience will bring together like-minded students, young professionals, experts and practitioners from across Africa, creating a cross-cultural community dedicated to driving impactful and transformative change

Application deadline: 15 March 2025

To keep our landscapes healthy for current and future generations, we must practice collaborative leadership that values people’s livelihoods and thriving ecosystems. To do this we must facilitate action that goes beyond business as usual.

At the 2025 GLF Landscape Leadership Camp in Africa, you’ll find yourself immersed in  discussions, hands-on activities and field trips all carefully designed to help you navigate complex challenges, bring your landscape visions to life and collaborate across issues of finance, policy and implementation.

Over three days you’ll have the chance to build your expertise and craft strategies to bring back to your communities.

But the camp is not just about learning, it’s also about building lasting connections. At the GLF Landscape Leadership Camp, you’ll connect with fellow participants and leading experts.

This is your chance to  join an Africa-wide network that will support you long after the program ends.

If selected, you will receive the full agenda in due course.

APPLY NOW

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In: Africa, Asia, Australia/Oceania, Education, Fellowships, News, South America, Workshop

The Aspire Leaders Program welcomes first-generation university students and recent graduates from around the world to join an free online interactive leadership development journey that is manageable along your other commitments. *Note program content is delivered in English.

Aspire Leaders Program Eligibility

  • 18-29 years old
  • First-generation, low-income university student
  • Currently enrolled in an undergraduate program or recently graduated; not a postgraduate student or graduate

If you meet these eligibility criteria and submit a 10 minute application, you will be accepted!

Applications for Cohort 2 of the 2025 program are open now until February 19, 2025 at 11:59 P.M. EST! Visit this link to apply: Apply here

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Eligibility

  • Applicant must be under 30 years of age
  • Applicant must have completed their undergraduate (BSc.) or graduate program (MSc. or MPhil.) which is related to the geospatial field, from a recognized college or university in any of our operational regions.
  • Project work must be socially relevant or technically innovative
  • Project work or Thesis should have been completed using the ArcGIS suite of software.

Entry Process

  • Export your final year project or thesis in PDF format.
  • Generate a map package for your ArcGIS project.
  • Complete the online form on our YSA Landing page and upload thesis Document. You may include other relevant links to your project, listed in one Word(docs.) document.
  • When shortlisted, our team would contact and guide you to submit your map package

Prices

The 2025 Esri Young Scholar will win:

  • A trip to San Diego (USA)
  • A free Entry to the 2025 Esri UC where his or her project would be showcased and winners would be acknowledged personally by Jack Dangermond (Founder and president of Esri)
  • An ArcGIS for Personal Use license valid for 1 year (12 months)

Deadline

The scheduled date for submissions falls on February 28, 2025.
Submissions attempted after this date will be unsuccessful, as the portal will be closed until the next call for projects

Young Scholar Awards

APPLY HERE

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In: Fellowships, North America, Workshop

The Bertelsmann Foundation Fellowship (BFF), previously the Congressional European Parliamentary Initiative (CEPI), provides a distinctive five-month transatlantic experience aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, building connections, and addressing global challenges within the transatlantic alliance. The program begins with a week-long in-person trip to Washington, D.C., followed by a three-month virtual segment in which fellows engage weekly with experts who focus on the fellowship’s annual theme. This hybrid approach offers fellows an opportunity to explore critical issues through a global lens and enhance their understanding of the dynamics shaping international relations.

Read more
Apply now

Application Deadline: February 3, 2025

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Are you a bachelor’s or master’s student looking to enhance your research skills? This free, 1-week virtual exchange course, led by Serdar Türkeli, trains students in conducting structured, comprehensive, and large-scale literature reviews using the innovative Litoscope tool.

Fill the form from this link by clicking on the two arrows at the end of the text

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A Regional and Global Approach:

To apply click the link below.

https://asu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_23qiYAYk2pFdPEOT

o adapt to and meet the needs of an ever-changing and complex global environment, the McCain Institute will determine a global thematic focus area as well as technical areas of focus for each region and recruit participants who work on relevant issues related to each theme.  Throughout the 12-month program, the Leaders will participate in programming that is both regional and global with the goal of connecting them to a highly relevant and targeted professional peer group in their home region, as well as a broader and diverse network of global peers.

2025 Global Theme: Advancing Democracy and Human Rights

The McCain Institute recognizes the ever-changing and complex global landscape as it relates to great-power competitions, the spread of authoritarianism, threats to democracy, abuse of human rights and growing challenges to the health of our planet driven by climate change. It also recognizes that 2025 will bring unprecedented change and challenge to the global community because of recent and upcoming elections occurring around the world as well as conflict occurring in numerous regions. The McCain Institute will seek to identify a diverse cohort of leaders who are working to advance democracy and human rights in their home countries through a variety of professions and projects.

2025 Regional Themes

Western Hemisphere: Protecting the Human Rights of Migrants

The Western Hemisphere will bring together those who are working to reduce push factors related to migration as well as those who are working on policy and frontline efforts related to migration flows in the Western Hemisphere. The regional theme will focus on what policy and what efforts can be done to humanize the migration process and reduce risk factors related to the safety, health and well-being of migrants.

Europe and Eurasia: Countering the Spread of Authoritarianism

Democratic backsliding and interference from Russia continue to sow instability throughout Europe and Eurasia. The regional cohort will focus on internal and external threats to democracy posed by disinformation, disregard for state sovereignty as well as rising nationalism and extremism. It will also focus on proactive solutions to these threats and expose the cohort to broader networks that can help advance democracy and human rights throughout the region.

Africa and the Middle East: Building the Foundations for Conflict Resolution

Conflict persists through the Africa and Middle East region and young leaders are being called upon to identify solutions for resolution. The regional cohort will examine factors driving conflict, the humanitarian consequences and what steps can be done to pave a path towards resolution and reconciliation. The cohort will learn from regional case studies and build a network of experts across Africa and the Middle East in an effort to build a foundation that can support participants in their own work related to conflict resolution.

Asia and Oceania: Managing the Great Power Competition in the Asia-Pacific

China and the United States continue to compete for economic and security interests throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. The regional cohort will focus on the various threats to economic and political stability that persist throughout the region as well as to how advancing democracy and human rights can counter the instability created by the great power competition. This will be done through a case study of country within the region and by building a network of support throughout the region.

Following in the footsteps of Senator John McCain’s legacy of being on the front lines of defending and advocating for democracy, freedom, and human rights, Leaders will embark on a journey that will help provide them with the tools needed to be champions of democracy in their home country and region.

Connecting Leaders from Around the World:

Leaders are selected through a competitive, open recruitment process.  There are up to 25 Leaders per annual cohort broken into 4 regional groupings.  Though there is no age requirement, Leaders are typically between the ages of 25 and 45.  Leaders should possess a strong track record of serving a cause greater than oneself as well as experience working directly on the global theme of defending democracy and their respective regional theme.  The McCain Institute emphasizes diversity in the form of gender, ethnicity, persons with disabilities, political viewpoint, economic background, and education.

Leaders will participate in three impactful in-person events, which will be enhanced by online learning. They include expert-led practical skills trainings and an integrated leadership development curriculum inspired by Senator McCain’s legacy and emphasizes peer-mentoring and group problem-solving.

Summer 2025 

The McCain Leadership Curriculum:  Throughout the program, Leaders participate in a curriculum that is administered both online and in person.  The curriculum is designed to incorporate lessons and experiences from Senator McCain’s life, to reinforce and augment in-person engagements and to focus on community building and group problem-solving.  A central tenet of the curriculum is a dynamic peer-mentorship model, through which the Leaders support each other’s journeys directly.  The curriculum will help each leader chart their own journey as a changemaker while also imparting real-world skills that will assist leaders as they take on some of the most difficult challenges facing their home country and region.

Fall 2025 

(Annapolis, M.D. and Washington, D.C.): The first in-person event of the program, the Leadership Experience, brings together all participants for the first time at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and in Washington, D.C.  The 10-day long program exposes leaders to the principles that guided Senator McCain’s leadership approach and connects them with experts in their core thematic areas and with key decision-makers.  Leaders will also work together and with experts to establish their own leadership philosophy and goals. 

Winter 2025/2026

The Changemaker Tour (Host Country in Each Region):  The second in-person event of the program convenes each regional cohort and members of the Global Advisory Council for five-day regional study tours that provide exposure to the global theme of defending democracy in a host country and focuses on developing targeted regional connections and networks, while providing the opportunity to discuss solutions and ideas related to the theme.  Leaders will be encouraged, but not required, to explore regional professional collaborations – the McCain Institute will actively support any resulting collaborations.  There will be one Changemaker Tour for the participants in each respective region. Past Changemaker Tours have occurred in Colombia, Poland, Singapore, and South Africa.