Students at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Oxford’s Said Business School has launched a competition for high schoolers with innovative ideas to combat climate change. Courtesy photo

High School Students Learn Climate Solutions at the University of Oxford

Imagine walking into your college journey with the experience of going abroad on your own for two weeks, collaborating with global experts and peers on climate solutions. Now that’s the kind of story that earns instant respect and opens doors.

Where can you find such an experience? The University of Oxford Saïd’s Business School just hosted the first of its kind at the school for 32 high school students – their Future Innovators Summer School program.

Picture a two-week experience, packed with workshops, lectures, and hands-on projects, led by world-renowned experts in climate science, business, and policy. Throughout the fourteen days, students discuss and break down the complex factors fueling the climate crisis, then craft strategies and solutions.

“Attending the Summer School, surrounded by world-renowned experts, is beyond what I ever imagined,” says Varun Chaurasiya, one of the program’s students.

“I have gained valuable insights into climate change, and met students from across the globe, learning about their diverse cultures and perspectives. This journey is shaping up to be a life-changing experience, and I am incredibly grateful to be a part of it,” he continues.

There’s something for every budding climate crisis change agent in the program – from extreme weather events, water scarcity, food security, to biodiversity.

This program stems from the Oxford Saïd-Burjeel Holdings Climate Change Challenge, where groups of students and educators compete with their ideas and solutions for complex climate crisis solutions. Uniquely students will learn alongside the winners of this competition.

“The Summer School has opened my eyes to the interconnectedness of our world and the urgent need for global cooperation in addressing climate change,” says another in the program, Anika Mehra.

“The opportunity to collaborate with peers from different backgrounds has enriched my understanding and inspired me to take action,” she adds.

As these students move onwards on their academic and professional journeys, Saïd is confident they’ll be even more equipped to forge solutions in fighting the climate crisis.