WUN Ghana Summer School
Program Overview
The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Summer school, hosted by the University of Ghana, is offered during the Northern Hemisphere summer from 2 -11 July 2023. It explores the interconnection between climate change, migration, and biocultural heritage in the landscapes of West Africa. Climate change contributes to rising sea levels, coastal erosion, increasing aridity, rising temperatures, unreliable weather conditions, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss. In West Africa, this also severely impacts indigenous and traditional communities threatening livelihoods and food security and shaping climate adaptive strategies, indigenous knowledge systems, and cultural heritage. Climate change is contributing to increased land-use and resource conflict between farmers and herders, illegal small-scale miners (galamsey) and fisher people and crop farmers.
The WUN brings together 24 leading comprehensive universities to advance research and education on major global challenges. Capitalizing on the geographic and cultural diversity of members across six continents, WUN enriches their shared experience, and assembles distinctive constellations of talent to address problems of real significance.
The program and course syllabus are available here
Objectives
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary studies of the intricate interconnection between people and the natural world. At the end of the course, students should be able:
To understand the key global issues associated with climate change and its effect on migration, biocultural heritage, and cultural landscapes in West Africa;
To understand the effect of climate change on food and social insecurities, cultural heritage, and loss of biodiversity in the region;
To understand theoretical and practical approaches to climate change and its adverse impact on past, contemporary, and future populations of West Africa;
To examine and understand the multidisciplinary data that explore climate change and human adaption in West Africa, including migration and settlement patterns. For example, archaeology, historical ecology, art history, oral traditions, and ethnography.
Eligibility
Undergraduate students from any WUN member institutions are eligible to apply. Students from other universities may also apply but priority will be given to students from WUN member universities. There are no disciplinary requirements, students who are passionate about exploring multidisciplinary solutions to global challenges and have an interest in exploring the impacts of climate change on biological resources, migration, indigenous people, traditional communities and biocultural heritage in West Africa are encouraged to apply.
Credit
Course credit for this summer school is possible with agreement from your university. Students seeking credit will have to confirm the process with their own university. If home universities do not allow credit for a summer school, students are welcome to attend without receiving credit.
Cost
The cost of the program for students is 2,600.00 USD. This includes accommodation at the Mole Motel, meals, in country travel, and insurance. However, this does not include international flights, a Ghana visa, or any pre-departure vaccinations including the mandatory Yellow Fever vaccination. These are the responsibility of each student.
How to apply
- Download and complete fillable PDF form here
- Save and rename the completed form as YourName_Completed (e.g., JohnWells_Completed)
- Submit the renamed file via email to Professor William Gblerkpor at wngblerkpor@ug.edu.gh or wgblerkp@ur.rochester.edu
Vital Information
It is essential that you do not make flight reservations, apply for a visa, or arrange vaccinations until the summer school is confirmed.
This will be after the registration window closes in April, a minimum of 8 students is required for the course to run. Once the WUN Summer School is confirmed you will be notified that you can proceed with your plans.
Visas: All visitors must have an entry visa issued by the Ghana embassy or consulate in their home country. This is not available online and requires an application form and a letter of invitation from the University of Ghana.
Vaccinations: A yellow fever vaccination and Covid-19 vaccinations are mandatory to enter Ghana. These should be administered in your home country in advance of departure. You will need to bring evidence of both Yellow Fever and Covid-19 vaccinations to enter Ghana.
Contact
Professor William Gblerkpor, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Ghana