COURSE: Science diplomacy and global environmental change in the Americas

In a context marked by increasingly complex socio-environmental challenges, scientific diplomacy—as a space for coordination between science, policy, and diplomacy—takes on particular relevance in Latin America and the Caribbean. With the aim of strengthening capacities and connecting key actors in decision-making and knowledge production, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the University of São Paulo (USP) are offering the course “Scientific Diplomacy and Global Environmental Change in the Americas,” which focuses on the links between science, innovation, and sustainability.

The course is free, self-paced, and certificate-based, and is available in Spanish, Portuguese, and English on the IAI's Virtual Campus. The course was created by the IAI's Center for Scientific Diplomacy (SDC) and co-designed by the Center for Studies in International Negotiations (CAENI) and the School of Scientific Diplomacy and Innovation (InnSciD), with the aim of responding to training needs in the region. It is aimed at strengthening dialogue between scientific, governmental, civil society, and productive sector actors in the context of evidence-informed public policy-making driven by international cooperation.

Based on case studies of Science Diplomacy and Innovation in the Americas, the course includes four thematic modules: science diplomacy, innovation diplomacy from a Global South perspective, negotiation applied to sustainable development, and science diplomacy in the face of global environmental change. Each module consists of lessons that integrate readings, concise audiovisual content, and practical exercises, requiring a dedication of approximately 20 hours.

A compilation of case studies showcases the diverse ways in which science diplomacy in the Americas brings together actors and transforms evidence into regional collaboration and concrete action in the face of emerging challenges and issues. These cases address real experiences of scientific cooperation in contexts of crisis, cross-border natural resource management, and indigenous participation in decision-making processes.

The course is aimed at a wide audience, particularly researchers and public officials in the early or middle stages of their careers, as well as other professionals interested in the intersection between science and policy in the region.

Access the course “Science Diplomacy and Global Environmental Change in the Americas” on the IAI Virtual Campus - https://moodle.iai.int/