Joint courses for WASCAL students

The courses will last until June 4. The 69 francophone students are located in Kumasi, Ghana, to improve their English skills, while 31 English speaking students are in Lomé, Togo, for intensive French language courses. In parallel, both are taught the basics in Statistics and Geostatistics, Remote Sensing/GIS, Climate Systems, Climate Change Impacts, and Research Methodology in two-week modules.


Despite the tight schedule (usually from 8am to 6pm in Kumasi, and from 7am to 4.30pm in Lomé), the lecturers emphasized the students’ motivation and eagerness to learn about climate change. Besides the scientific training, the students can benefit from working together, which can have positive effects in terms of network building for their future career, one lecturer said.


The students also expressed their determination to successfully complete the program. They said the program was increasing their awareness of the importance of climate change and their willingness to contribute to their respective country’s future development with regard to climate change.


After their joint courses in Kumasi and Lomé, the Graduate students will be go to the WASCAL Competence Center in Ouagadougou for another week of training with the Competence Center staff and for attending a lecture on WASCAL Data Management. In mid-June all students will then go back to their respective Lead University for an intensive course program focused on the particular research area of their Graduate School. After finishing this course program the students will submit their final research proposal for their master’s and doctoral theses.

Niclas Hallmann