Stay informed for the recent updates, and seize opportunities to get involved. Below you will find the most recent calls for contributions from the PolyCIVIS Research, Policy and Teaching Work Packages.
In the PolyCIVIS podcast series, we engage with experts from diverse disciplines to explore the complexities of the polycrisis and its effects on research, policy, and education.
"Climate change adaptation in West Africa: an interplay with the polycrisis?"
With Professor Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
"Innovative pedagogies as an approach to the polycrisis."
With Assistant Professor Aspasia Dania, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
*for this podcast, we were very glad to have with us Katerina Schoina, Co-chair of the CIVIS Global Student Council and Doctoral Candidate at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
"Archaeological monuments, cultural heritage and climate change: liaisons of polycrisis?"
With Professor and Vice-Rector Sophia Papaioannou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
These podcasts were recorded at the Media Studios of Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg with the support of CIVIS University Alliance.
Concept and Interviews: Professor Dimitris Gouscos, Communication and Dissemination WP Co-leader (NKUA)
CIVIS Global Student Council Representative: Katerina Schoina, Co-chair of the CIVIS Global Student Council and Doctoral Candidate at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Audio Editing: Yves Coudron
Studio Technician and Recording: Simon Haigermoser (PLUS)
General Production: PolyCIVIS Communication and Dissemination WP
Special Thanks: María Isabel Soldevila Brea and Jeanne Sadzot from the CIVIS Communication Unit
“Polycrisis: Migration, Displacement, Conflict and Humanitarianism” was the title of the sub-themed panel which was led by Professor Zagel Gudrun (PLUS) as part of the 3rd International Conference on Geographical Science for Resilient Communities, Ecosystems and Livelihoods under Global Environmental Change.
Dates: 4-6 December, Uganda
Key issues rased, were:
With contributions from Makarere and PLUS universities, this event inspired actionable pathways to shape the future of crisis responses, emphasizing education’s vital role in tackling these challenges.
Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis
We are thrilled to announce that more than 90 students from both Europe and Africa have already enrolled in the Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)!
This achievement highlights the strong interest in exploring critical issues at the intersection of trade, investment, and the polycrisis.
Designed by PLUS University and Makerere University, this programme offers a unique opportunity for students across the two contintents to exchange and gain hands-on experience in negotiating agreements aimed at tackling the polycrisis, drawing on theoretical knowledge of EU-African Trade and Investment Agreements.
About the BIP
This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) includes a physical mobility and a virtual part, providing an immersive and flexible experienceIt is open to students currently studying at Bachelor's, Master's and PhD level, interested on the topic of polycrisis.
Course dates: 6 March - 27 June 2025
CIVIS Focus Area: Cities, territories and mobilities
Amid the complex challenges of our time, Lara Leik’s reflection from the PolyCIVIS Public Session during CIVIS Days 2024 offers a hopeful perspective. Don’t miss her insightful take on how we can turn today’s obstacles into tomorrow’s opportunities for change.
The 4th Faculty of Law Legal Aid Project (FOLLAP) conference, hosted by Egerton University with the collaboration of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), delved into the critical intersections of climate change and social justice. Held at Lake Naivasha, Kenya, this landmark conference explored how climate crises impact vulnerable communities, particularly women and children, while discussing the legal and societal responses.
Ruth Aura ( Egerton University) and Gudrun Zagel (PLUS) wrote a report to help us learn more about fostering climate justice and empowering marginalized voices.
On Tuesday, December 17 2024, at the Maison Méditerranéenne des Sciences de l’Homme (MMSH, Aix-en-Provence) and online via Zoom, Aix-Marseille University organised a thought-provoking seminar with the title “Is the Polycrisis a Relevant Concept for Studying Migration?”
This interdisciplinary event, featured experts Anne Weyembergh and Dan Schreiber from PolyCIVIS, to discuss how interconnected crises shape migration dynamics across Europe and Africa.
PolyCIVIS’s participation in CIVIS Days 2024 brought valuable opportunities for an insightful dialogue between European and African experts. Through our public event, we explored approaches to addressing global crises. Below are key insights and takeaways from our engagement during the event.
University Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou - Burkina Faso, is organizing “Multidimensional Analysis of Illegal Immigration: Understanding, Preventing, and Integrating”, an in-depth international conference exploring the complex realities of clandestine migration and the challenges faced by migrants navigating unauthorized mobility across borders.
This conference will focus on the pressing issue of clandestine migration, particularly from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, and will address critical themes, particularly:
Panel Discussions
19 November 2024
Panel 1: Institutional approach to migration: Moderators: Dr Mahamoudou ZONGO and Dr Zakaria SORE
Panel 2: Migration policies, rights and health: Moderators: Pr André Kamba SOUBEIGA and Pr Claudine Valérie ROUAMBA
20 November 2024
Panel 3: The causes of immigration: Moderators: Pr Ramané KABORE et Pr Issa SOME (with the contribution of PolyCIVIS’ representation)
Panel 4: Persistence of migratory flows and tragedies: Moderators: Pr Augustin PALE and Dr Siaka OUATTARA
21 November 2024
Panel 5: Perceptions of current migratory flows: Moderators: Pr Alkassoum MAIGA and Dr Alexis KABORE
By addressing these critical issues, the conference aims to foster a deeper understanding of the African migration experience and its implications for Europe, encouraging dialogue and cooperation between the two continents to find sustainable solutions.
PolyCIVIS’ participation
In this context, PolyCIVIS is invited to contribute to Panel 3 on Wednesday 20th November entitled Causes de l’immigration clandestine (The causes of illegal immigration), moderated by Pr Ramané KABORE et Pr Issa SOME. PolyCIVIS will be represented by ULB and other PolyCIVIS members (more details TBA).
"Facing Polycrisis in Europe and Africa"
A crucial hybrid panel discussion on the pressing topic of polycrisis took place during CIVIS Days 2024 in Salzburg.
This event is linked to the PolyCIVIS network, a collaboration between the CIVIS Alliance members and 4 additional African universities.
Watch the recorded roundtable discussion
PolyCIVIS’s 21 universities collaborated in this event bringing together experts from a range of disciplines to reflect together on future strategies, joint actions and consequences of polycrisis.
Speakers:
Prof. Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, Faculty of Economics and Public Policies, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
Prof. Mucha Musemwa, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand
Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal & Professor of Economics, Makerere University
Prof. Gudrun Zagel, Faculty of Law, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg
Prof. Anne Weyembergh, PolyCIVIS Project Director, Université libre de Bruxelles (moderator)
Themes:
Defining and understanding polycrisis
Exploring polycrisis’ interconnected global risks and cascading effects
Social impacts and inequalities
Changing the narrative: solutions and resilience
The event was attended by:
This timely event was succesfully attended by researchers, academics, students, policymakers, and other key stakeholders interested in polycrisis, from Africa, Europe and beyond.
On September 25th, a group of academics and students gathered during CIVIS Days for an insightful discussion led by Makerere University (Uganda) and Paris Lodron University Salzburg (Austria). The focus? How to create innovative teaching programs to address the growing challenges of interconnected global crises like climate change, economic instability, and social inequality.
Drawing on the Euro-African Trade and Investment Relations and the Polycrisis Blended Intensive Program (BIP) which is scheduled to last between 6 March - 27 June 2025, the session explored ways to expand this interdisciplinary approach to teaching. Participants discussed how universities can leverage existing courses, integrate research-driven teaching, and strengthen the link between academia and the research, policy, and civic communities to build comprehensive programs that empower students to actively engage in better understanding global crises.
What made the session stand out was the direct involvement of CIVIS Global Student Council students, whose feedback and experience on previous BIPs shaped much of the discussion. Their insights, paired with contributions from the rest of the participants, pointed to a future where education becomes a collaborative effort between academics and students, designed to address real-world issues.
This session was more than just an exchange of ideas between academics and students; it fostered a transformative perspective on how partnerships can lead to innovative teaching models tailored to address today's global challenges.
This web dossier presents a collection of interviews conducted with academics from the PolyCIVIS network and beyond, shedding light on their teaching methodologies, experiences, and insights.
We invite you to explore these interviews and gain deeper insights into the transformative potential of education within the PolyCIVIS alliance.
On Wednesday, 25 September, from 11:00 to 13:00 CEST, academics from the PolyCIVIS network came together to explore this critical question in an internal hybrid working session led by the teaching work package (WP4), co-led by Makerere University (MAK), Kampala, Uganda, and Paris Lodron University Salzburg (PLUS), Austria.
With contributions from the research and policy work packages (WP2 and WP3), this session focused on leveraging existing courses and lessons from previous Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs) to develop a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum on polycrisis. The discussion also covered strategies for engaging students and forging external partnerships to enhance the quality of joint programs. Students from member universities also participated in the session, offering feedback and sharing ideas for future courses, exchanges and meetings.
PolyCIVIS’ consortium members held the project’s third annual meeting virtually on May 22, 2024. Building consensus, creating common understanding and securing consistency throughout the network are the key outcomes of this meeting, which served as an opportunity for the consortium partners to delve into various topics, covering everything from internal planning to dissemination activities and more in depth collaboration within our network members.
Read the full article here.
"One World, Many Crises: Politics, Law and Beyond" is an international conference held by NKUA (March 2024) calling for greater action and noting that concrete policy responses are needed for a sustainable future. Professor Emmanuella Doussis wrote an article to reflect on the topics raised during the conference.
Read the full article from here.
This is an article by Prof. Ali Bougatef and Prof. Mohamed Makni from the Food Department at the Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, explaining the effective measures for addressing the food crisis in Africa.
Read the article from here.
In an era marked by multifaceted challenges, from economic instability to climate change and global pandemics, the art of policy making has never been more crucial. To shed light on this complex landscape, we had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Malte Borsig from the University of Witwatersrand. With his expertise in international relations and governance, Professor Borsig shared invaluable insights unraveling the complexity and interconnection of polycrises and their implications for policy formulation.
Explore the complete interview by clicking here!
