Deepen your understanding of emergent transdisciplinary issues related to environmental humanities, climate change, global health, and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals by examining contemporary challenges arising from global environmental change, and completing a 3-week field experience focused on climate change, biodiversity, conservation, WASH and community health in The Gambia, West Africa.
The summer Education for Sustainable Development program of the Global Columbia Collaboratory offers the opportunity to engage, virtually and in-person, with a small group of students, as well as faculty, researchers and community organizations in The Gambia.
If you have any questions, write to globalcollab@columbia.edu.
Overview
Through global seminars, small group meetings, and working on a collaborative project for the Gunjur Conservationists and Ecotourism Association (CETAG) and The Gunjur Project Association you’ll learn about environmental and global health realities in The Gambia; the important role the humanities, arts, and social sciences can play not just in producing solutions to environmental problems but in understanding how those problems emerged; how NGOs, government agencies, and communities are working collaboratively to address sustainable development challenges to achieve the SDGs in The Gambia; and you will gain hands-on experience through a 3 week in-country field experience in The Gambia.
The Collaboratory is a not-for-credit program offered by the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement in partnership with The Gunjur Project Association and CETAG. Students may consider using their participation in the program for elective academic credit, and/or internship, capstone, practicum, or research requirements.
Click here to scroll through a student-developed website designed to introduce you to their experience from last summer.
Eligibility and Application
At the point of application and throughout the Global Columbia Collaboratory experience, you must be:
Currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student In good academic and disciplinary standing.
Students must be able to fully participate in all activities and meetings which will include virtual sessions prior to the 3 week in-country field experience in The Gambia.
Columbia undergraduate and graduate students and students from outside of Columbia are welcome to apply.
The Collaboratory is conducted in English.
Financial Considerations
2025 Program Fee: $2,300
This fee covers the following:
a $500 non-refundable deposit
lodging
in-country transportation
all meals
in-country excursions
Estimated out of pocket expenses:
$1900 student transportation to/from The Gambia
$170 costs associated with securing a visa (if applicable), Arrival/Departue taxes
vaccines for travel to The Gambia
$50 personal spending money
Program Schedule and Expectations
Virtual and In-person Programming
Students should expect to spend some time engaged with Collaboratory content through virtual seminars and activities prior to program departure. Additionally, students must be able to travel to the on-site program to complete the group projects.
June/July: virtual programming (synchronous and asynchronous meetings)
August: in-country field study in The Gambia
early October: virtual programming/synchronous meetings & Project Showcase
*A final schedule, including the duration of the in-country field study in The Gambia, will be provided upon acceptance to the program.
Students must be able to participate in all virtual programming as a prerequisite to joining the Summer Collaboratory.
Components
GLOBAL SEMINARS
Global seminars are led by faculty, practitioners, and researchers on education for sustainable development and environmental humanities, and are drawn from the extensive networks of Columbia University.
TOOLBOX SESSIONS
These are skills-based workshops to support students’ global learning, intercultural communication, and successful completion of a project in collaboration with The Gunjur Project Association or Gunjur Conservationists and Ecotourism Association (CETAG).
SMALL GROUP MEETINGS - “PODs”
Collab PODs are facilitated small group sessions that meet on a weekly basis to provide students with specific content related to The Gambia and to foster students’ connection and reflection as they process and build on their learning.
PROJECT WORK SESSIONS
Student collaborators meet to work on their project for CETAG.
ON-SITE FIELD EXPERIENCE
Students will spend time in The Gambia visiting sites of global health, environmental and cultural significance, working on their NGO/partner project, learning from observation, and engaging in field study.