VIENTIANE, April 2, 2015 – Professors from six Lao universities gathered in Vientiane on April 1 and 2 to advance climate change education in the country by launching a climate change curriculum developed with support from the U.S. Government. 

 

The launch took place at a National Seminar on Integrating Climate Change into University Curricula in Laos, which was hosted by the National University of Laos with the participation of five other universities: Souphanouvong University, Savannakhet University, Champassak University, University of Health Sciences and Rattana Business Administration College.

 

“Education is vital to the global response to climate change,” said U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Paul O. Mayer. “The Climate Change Curriculum aims to make climate change education, particularly at universities and other institutions, a more central and visible part of the international and regional response to climate change.”

 

With support of the U.S. Agency for International Development Lowering Emissions in Asia’s Forests (USAID LEAF) program, professors and forest and climate change specialists from 14 universities and training institutes from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea collaboratively developed the climate change curriculum over the last two years. The resulting materials will be used to train the region’s future climate change professionals. Professors from the National University of Laos contributed to the curriculum’s development and refinement, and are now adapting it to fit the Lao context and additional university programs.

 

In addition to universities, leaders from the Lao government, non-profit associations and other institutions also attended the launch. Participants learned about the regional curriculum development process as well as its four modules: basic climate change, social and environmental soundness, low emissions land use planning, and carbon measurement and monitoring. Participants learned how to apply the curriculum materials through interactive teaching sessions.