India's Leading Institution Working On Sustainable Development, TERI University, Launched A 5-day Summer School On Environmental Issues

Online, July 18, 2013 (Newswire.com) - TERI University is the foremost institution in research and higher education on sustainable development and environmental issues in the country. In order to spread its ideology of knowledge for sustainable development to a wide section of society, it has launched a 5-day 'Summer School' between 15th and 19th of July, 2013. This first-of-its-kind 'Summer School' by TERI University is set with the objective of building a perspective on sustainability among the participants.

"While every section of society needs to be aware of the challenges of environmental pollution and the looming threat of climate change, the stakes are the highest for the younger generation," says Dr. Arun Kansal, outlining the thought behind this Summer School. "Much of the research at TERI and in TERI University has been fed into policy debates at the national and international level. However, TERI University is aware of its responsibility to connect with society at large, and of educating and sensitising people to these challenges."

Aptly called BLISS, which stands for 'Building Learning in Sustainability Science', this 5-day Summer School will be conducted within the TERI University campus, and will simultaneously be streamed online for those who have enrolled for it. While introducing various environmental issues, TERI University will be culling out facts and details from its own globally acknowledged research base. The discussions will be led by TERI University faculty as well as experienced research professionals from TERI, with the purpose of exposing students to new areas of environment and sustainability study. A certificate of participation will be awarded to all participants.

"TERI University is a specialised institution working in the niche areas of sustainable development, climate change, renewable energy and related issues. Being an institute of higher learning, we offer only Postgraduate courses and have limited physical space. To overcome these limitations, we decided to leverage the potential in Information Technology and Distance Learning methodology to reach out to a large cross-section of stakeholders - especially the youth - through BLISS. The larger objective is to spread awareness and knowledge about the sustainability issues humanity is facing for its long-term survival, and the course of action we need to undertake to mitigate the same. After attending BLISS, the participants will gain a holistic understanding of where we stand today vis-a-vis our desired goals, and how we can achieve those goals."

According to TERI University, BLISS is designed to help participants develop a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability issues. The participants in this Summer School will also get to know about the career options open to them should they decide to work in this field. Considering the gravity of environmental issues and the urgent need for sustainable development, TERI University is looking at making BLISS a regular annual event.