A two-day national consultation on ‘Promoting Environmental Education in Higher Education Institutions’ will be held on February 7 and 8 at Lady Doak College.
At a press meet held on Monday, Mercy Pushpalatha, principal of the college, said faculty members from other educational institutions, researchers and environmental activists from all over the State will take part in the programme.
“The University Grants Commission mandates two hours per week for environmental studies. Our college dedicates four hours per week for activity based environmental learning. We will recommend the same to the other institutions at the consultation programme”, Ms Pushpalatha added.
The event organised, by the Centre for Environmental Studies in Lady Doak College, will have sessions addressed by U. Thirunavukarasu, Environmental Education Officer of CPR Environmental Education Centre, G. Rengasamy, Dean of Vinayaka Mission University, Shekar Dattatri, wildlife and conservation filmmaker and K. Muthuchelian, Vice Chancellor of Periyar University.
Erach Bharucha, director of Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research will also address the students through video conference session.
The Centre for Environmental Studies is funded by UBCHEA and has Women’s Christian College, Arul Anandar College, Jeyaraj Annapackiam College, St Xavier’s College and Yadava Women’s College as part of its core committee, apart from Lady Doak College, which is the nodal centre.
“We are planning to set up centres in the five core committee colleges to motivate other institutions to follow discipline based environmental study programmes”, Ms. Pushpalatha added.
An e-forum will also be launched in June this year to network with other higher education institutions and share environmental concerns and discuss possible solutions, the principal concluded.
