[Unpad Media Channel] The Center for Environment and Sustainability Science (CESS) of Universitas Padjadjaran participated in the Global Issues Convention 2024, organizes by the Volkswagen Foundation from November 19th–21st, 2024. The event is supported by a consortium of European foundations, including the Compagnia di San Paolo, Fundación La Caixa, Novo Nordisk Fonden, Rijksbankens Jubileumsfond, Wellcome Trust, and the Volkswagen Foundation itself.
The convention brought together 184 researchers worldwide, representing 20 international funding programs under the initiative “Global Issues – Integrating Different Perspectives.” The initiative focuses on three funding streams, such as Integrating Different Perspectives on Heritage and Change, Mobility – Global Medicine and Health Research, Preventing Pandemics: The Role of Human-Environmental Interactions.
The event facilitated academic exchanges, strengthened networks among research projects, encouraged interaction with the six participating European foundations, and explored critical topics such as interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, and North-South collaboration. Discussions also addressed global issues and their solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as improving the environment through international cooperation.
As part of the INSUAH (Integrated Study on Urban Agriculture Heritage) research, a collaboration between five countries (Germany, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, and Cuba), the CESS Unpad team, led by Prof. Oekan S. Abdoellah, Ph.D., presented their experience developing the Bandung Urban Agriculture Heritage (BUAH) the Living Lab.
According to Dr. Gemilang Lara Utama, Head of CESS Unpad, the Living Lab was developed over two years using an interdisciplinary approach involving urban agriculture practitioners in Bandung, leveraging cultural heritage. This cultural heritage approach has proven effective in addressing global issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, and promoting sustainability amid urban pressures.
Following their participation in the Global Issues Convention 2024, the CESS Unpad team traveled to The Hague, where they delivered a public lecture at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam. They also explored opportunities for double-degree programs for the Master’s and Doctoral Environmental Science programs.
CESS Unpad’s involvement in the Global Issues Convention 2024 was not only an opportunity to share knowledge but also to strengthen international academic networks. The event opened doors for cross-disciplinary and cross-regional collaborations, supporting sustainable research development and expanding connections with global institutions. (Press Release from CESS Unpad)
Photos by: Christian Burkert for Volkswagen Stiftung
