Adventure Mobility Program
Program Snapshot
Location: Shanghai and other locations for field trips and adventure trips!
Course Focus: Integrated Environmental Assessment
Duration: 10-12 days
Program Fee: $4200 USD
Credits: 1.5 US credits/ 3 ECTS credits
Dates: Summer: July 22nd-31st 2018/2019 ; Winter: January 21st – 31st
China and the Environment
China’s urban population is growing, and with it, rising levels of pollution have become a cause for concern. However, China’s recent efforts to shift to a more sustainable model of city living are promising. China has recently rolled out the world’s largest investment in clean energy to date. The nation has also committed to both manufacturing and adopting renewable energy technologies. In addition, the Chinese government has declared the intention to ban al fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the future. With this said, China is also the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases emissions. To address these challenges, the Chinese government has made considerable policy reforms, the largest reforms in decades! China is the current hotspot to experience sustainability in action, trends, practices and approaches as well as cultural immersion and adventure travel.
Program Overview
The Course: Integrated Environmental Assessment – IEA01
Host University: Tongji University, Shanghai, China College of Environmental Science and Engineering
The SSi short-term program is an intensive program held in partnership between SSi and the College of Environmental Science and Engineering at Tongji University, Shanghai, PRC. SSi works closely and alongside Tongji professors and industry professionals to deliver the course content over 5 modules.
The modules take participants through the Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) process, essentially treating IEA as an institution that organisations in charge of assessment and reporting processes need to build. This will take the student through questions related to setting up a process and securing the mandate to build an impact strategy, carry out the actual assessment, prepare information products and close the loop by reflecting on lessons learned throughout the process.
The course is designed to achieve outcomes and objectives through an interactive learning process. Elements include:
- discussion questions in breakout groups;
- case studies;
- concept presentation;
- role plays;
- problem solving group exercises;
- end of module discussion sessions to review key lessons learned, review any outstanding questions and explore concrete opportunities for practical application of the topics covered.
The course is designed with practical application of content learned through facility visits and field trips. These include, Suzhou Creek water facility treatment plant, Chongming Island Industrial ECO Park and rural solar farms in North China!
Whats Included?
- All lectures from Tongji University and course materials and course credit transfer
- Pre-departure Assistance
- Airport pickups and drop offs
- All breakfast and lunch meals included and most dinner meals also.
- All in-country accomodation included in the specified program dates.
- All in-country transportation
- All cultural and adventure field trips, and entry fees to tourist sites.
- An unforgettable experience!
Course Modules
The objective of this module is to introduce the integrated environmental assessment (IEA) and reporting approach based in the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) Process of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). You will learn why the IEA approach is an effective way of developing policy relevant recommendations about the state of the environment and its interaction with human development.
This module focuses on securing institutional commitment for an IEA, identification of stakeholders and defining their roles and introduction of instruments for conducting the process. The course will explore allocation of required resources (time, human, financial) as well identifying interactive processes and their benefits.
This module will focus on methods to position and deliver a national IEA so that it can have real impact on environmental policy and practice at a series of levels, ranging from local to national.
This module is a practical guide to information tools, with emphasis on monitoring, data and indicators. Key concepts, techniques, benefits and constraints are explored in areas of monitoring, data collections, indicator and indices and analysis, through readings, exercises and examples.
This module explores integrated analysis of environmental trends and policies which refers to a set of processes and methods to analyse the state of the environment as it is affected by natural forces, human activities and policies.
Outcomes
- understand the mandate and role of UNEP in environmental assessment and reporting and in capacity building;
- describe the objective and scope of the GEO assessment;
- compare and contrast IEA in the context of the first three GEO reports and the GEO-4 process; and
- become familiar with examples of regional, national and sub-national GEO and IEA processes.
- understand the main stages of the IEA process;
- understand the institutional arrangements to be developed
- learn to lead an IEA process in an interactive and participatory way;
- identify the main activities and procedures for preparing IEA reports and promoting their findings to achieve maximum impact; and
- be aware of and able to manage challenges of running the process while involving the public.
- able to articulate reasons for doing integrated environmental assessment;
- greater understanding of political context; and
- able to develop effective strategies and communications tactics to achieve impact.
- understand roles and the uses of data, indicators and indices in IEA
- know how to develop strategies for collecting and validating data;
- understand how indicators and indices are developed
- be able to understand indicators and indices based on outcomes; and
- be able to communicate and present statistical and map-based data visually.
- identify priority issues influencing environmental change;
- identify direct and indirect causes of environmental change
- identify and characterize impacts of environmental change on environment and society;
- identify and analyse policy mechanisms and responses that directly or indirectly contribute – in positive or negative ways- to environmental change.
Course Requirements & Other
- Must beat least 18 years of age upon starting the mobility program
- Open to all persons above the age of 18 years old. High school graduates also eligible to enrol as well as university students of bachelor and high degree levels
- GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Disciplinary Clearance form or references of good standing from your home institution must be submitted in the application process with other supporting documents.
Visa Information
- Accomodation and housing is located in Shanghai at Tongji Guesthouse in a twin share room. Songle rooms are also available at an extra cost.
- Accomodation outside Shanghai during field trips and excursions will be at hotels also twin share. All housing is included in the program fee during the program dates.
Total cost of the program is $4200. Secure your place in the program for $700. The remainder of the program fee is required in 2 payment installations. 1st payment 6 weeks after deposit payment and final payment no later than 4 weeks before program start date. Early bird discounts and “Bring a Buddy” discounts available. Talk to our team!
Trip Preperation
Assistance of official documentation will be provided for visa application either by post or email. To apply for visas you must have at least 6 months validity on your passport as well as minimum of 2 empty pages.
Parents are usually a vital part of your study abroad programs! Parents can contact our team night or day with any questions and have access to all our info packs and resources.
Always pack as light as you can. Backpacks are alwasy better than suitcases! Our team will guide you on what to bring depending on the season of you SSi program once you have enrolled in the program.
Testimonials
Ville Nyyssönen
Savonia University of Applied Sciences
“This program was awesome! Right amount of time to see and do all the things I wanted to in China, as well as the great sustainability course at Tongji University. It gave me great insight to a topic that I really knew very little about and has shaped the way I think and view my day-to- day actions as well as choices in the future."
Pamela Jo Willeford
CAL State University
“I was in disbelief that I would really be visiting another country, it wasn’t until our plane landed that I realised how real this was. I was anxious, I didn’t even speak enough Mandarin to ask where a restroom was, but the experience was amazing. I had so many experiences, I only wish that I had kept a journal to keep track of them all. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as my group did!"