Interdisciplinary Climate Leadership Training at the University of Victoria

Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders

An NSERC CREATE graduate training program

The UVic Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders (CCSL) program offers an immersive learning experience for graduate students seeking to advance climate solutions. Bridging across the sciences, engineering, social sciences, business, and law, this program delivers enriched interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral training to prepare the next generation of leaders with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to rise to the challenge of climate change.

Gain advanced technical understanding of climate science, impacts, and policy measures

Advance your professional skills through leadership training and specialized workshops

Build your professional network and gain practical experience during your climate solutions internship

Collaborate in interdisciplinary teams and tackle a design challenge with local partners

About the program

Tomorrow’s climate leaders must be adept at working across disciplinary boundaries. CCSL trainees learn in interdisciplinary cohorts, developing high-impact leadership skills in several core areas.

Trainees enroll in two specialized climate courses, attend monthly seminars, and complete a climate internship.

Meet the trainees

Climate Solutions Trainees come from a range of backgrounds, from Engineering and the Natural Sciences, to Public Administration, Business, Law and the Humanities.

To date, we have trained 35 graduate students and Postdoctoral fellows, and awarded over $250,000 in traineeship funding and scholarships.

Apply today

The program welcomes a new cohort each September. Applications for the current cycle are due on May 1st, 2025.

Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Victoria and produce a letter of recommendation from their Supervisor. Read the full details below.

Core Training Elements

Students gain advanced technical understanding of climate change science, impacts and mitigation through lectures from leading climate change scholars and practitioners, seminars, and interdisciplinary research clusters.

Students learn to navigate the complexities of implementing climate solutions and appreciation of their societal context. Trainees complete a real-world design challenge and a short term internship with one of our climate solutions partners.

Trainees develop skills that are highly sought out in the climate action workforce through professional development workshops.

We’re hiring, join the CCSL Staff