Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Governance and Management

Traditional education often produces learners who find it difficult to link the knowledge they have gained with the realities they face, thereby limiting their immediate relevance to the world of work. In contrast, experiential learning emphasizes engaging in critical thinking and taking the classroom and book learning to encounter the real world in all its complexity. It enables students to be more action-ready with their knowledge, able to engage directly with real-world problem-solving. Issues pertaining to the nexus of environment, governance and peace are by definition intricate, unyielding to simplified thought or courses of action. This course will therefore infuse experiences that allow students to interact with real life situations – including working in communities – and requires them to give well-thought-out inputs into those communities. Reflections arising from these experiences will result in the kind of depth that characterizes true agents of change.

The graduates from the programme will represent a critical mass of key researchers, all trained in trans-disciplinary research, while still representing different scientific traditions and backgrounds and forming an inspiring and cross-pollinating education and research circle. The researchers will address natural resource conflicts and offer solutions for peace building. Further, the graduate will offer authoritative transformative leadership in environmental issues, do research and teach at universities.