Responding to the pressing challenges posed by the global environmental crisis, Church-run universities in Rome are joining forces to introduce a new Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology.
This initiative aligns with Pope Francis’s emphasis on the interconnection of environmental, economic, political, social, and ethical issues.
Running from January to June 2024, the course will be delivered online by a distinguished international faculty comprising academics, leaders, and activists.
The move is seen as a proactive response to what the Pontifical Universities describe as “the unprecedented challenge facing the planet.”
The impetus for this educational endeavor is rooted in Pope Francis’s 2015 landmark Encyclical, Laudato si’, which calls for a collective response to climate change from people of goodwill.
However, as highlighted in the more recent Exhortation Laudate Deum, the Pontifical Universities stress that current responses have fallen short, and the world is on the verge of a potential breaking point.
The Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology was initially launched in 2016 but is now being offered for the first time in English.
The course structure includes six modules, each lasting 90 minutes. Sessions will be held every third Thursday of the month, from 13:30 to 15:00 Rome time, spanning January to June 2024.
A workshop is scheduled for March, with an international online conference on Laudate Deum set for May.
The Pontifical Universities believe that this course will contribute significantly to fostering a deeper understanding of integral ecology and inspire individuals to take meaningful actions to address the critical issues facing our planet.
The Course will be officially inaugurated on January 25, 2024, but admissions for the course will remain open until March 31, 2024.
Prospective students can find more information here.
