Peter Hobson, Professor in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability at Writtle University College, will deliver the keynote presentation for a prestigious international workshop. It will include a paper Professor Hobson co-authored on VUCA in 2017.
'Exploring the role of Biosphere Regions in a VUCA world' takes place between November 13th and December 4th and involves Bachelors or Masters students from Ukraine, Germany, Moldova and the UK.
VUCA refers to the Increasing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity that endangers the implementation of sustainable development. The VUCA concept was first introduced by the US military to describe the conditions of a world that is increasingly difficult to predict and reliable.
Since its first appearance in the 1990s, the concept has quickly been adopted by other areas such as strategic decisions, risk management and situational problem solving. Here it applies to the context of sustainable development in Eastern Europe.
Professor Hobson's presentation will offer an introduction to the VUCA world concept. It will be followed by a series of online talks from international specialists, who will cover topics from UNESCO Biosphere Reserves to Visual Communication.
Professor Hobson said: "The workshop is an excellent opportunity to encourage a dialogue on topics of international importance. Participating students will gain vital skills, while receiving professional input from three Biosphere Reserves."
The seminar is funded by the DAAD in the Funding Programme, 'East-west-Dialogue 2020', with means of the German Foreign Office.