Open Campus Lecture Series: Sustainability of the Guiana Shield

Program Open Campus Lecture Series: Sustainability of the Guiana Shield

An Open Campus Lecture Series “Sustainability of the Guiana Shield” will be organized as part of the activities around the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname on the 1^st of November 2018, and will also be a concrete activity to give effect to the abovementioned strategy. The lecture series are planned in four clusters from November 2018 – February 2019, and will revolve around sustainability issues in relation to the Guiana Shield, as a relevant reality and point of departure to link the academic community with the challenges and development perspectives of our society. Emphasis will be placed on the need for critical discussions and solutions to prioritize sustainability in the development of Suriname, and strengthen the role of Suriname as one of the countries of the Guiana Shield.

In view of the aforementioned considerations for organizing an open campus series, the following general and specific objectives have been formulated. The guiding principle here is that the Open Campus Series should not have “just” a scientific character, but should also result into tangible results that have policy and social relevance.

• To connect the academic community with policy makers in the public and private sectors, and demonstrate how academic knowledge may contribute to achieve sustainability by designing, elaborating and promoting strategic choices and action plans for a balanced and environmental friendly use of the natural and cultural resources of the Guiana Shield;
• To strengthen the capacity of AdeKUS as an academic knowledge institute that contributes with solutions for environmental and related sustainability challenges, and specifically the realization of at least 5 scientific conference papers;
• To contribute to academic and evidence-based national policy-making and partnerships on sustainability, and more specifically:
  1. Realization of at least three policy papers on presented topics;
  2. Working agreements about setting up and strengthening (new or existing) partnerships on at least two thematic areas;
• To broaden and deepen international collaboration with partners on the Guiana Shield, in particular mainstreaming and integration of Education and Research into policy actions.

The activities of the Open Campus Lecture Series include 19 lectures to be delivered by experts from the region and from Suriname. The thematic series will be conducted in the format of a 2-3 hours plenary lecture in the evening, followed by a half-day workshop the next day, for deepening the topic and formulating policy recommendations. The series will be open to policy makers, academics and University students irrespective of their thematic discipline and other interested persons. The lecture topics are subdivided into four clusters that are held in the following periods:

Cluster 1                       Sustainability, Culture and Local Production:   5-9 November 2018
Cluster 2                       Sustainable production:                                           10-14 December 2018
Cluster 3                       Biodiversity, Socio-biodiversity and Health:     10 – 17 January 2019
Cluster 4                       Regional Integration and Policy:                            11-14 February 2019
Wrap-up session:                                                                                                 15 February 2019.

The following crosscutting issues will be included in all presentations:

• International standards and codes of conduct
• Good governance
• Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.

The following schedule of lectures is anticipated: