Academic Summer Camps on the Social-Ecological Transformation

It is crucial to support young people in their commitment for climate change mitigation. The concept of Social-Ecological Transformation (SET) does just that, by revealing a path towards a sustainable and socially just future. In collaboration with the Institute for Policy and Management (IPAM), Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung initiated the “SET Summer Youth Training Camp” series in 2022. These so-called SETY Camps comprise of a one-week workshop program and take place on an annual basis. Students from all over Vietnam can participate. The camps aim to equip the country’s youth with the necessary skills to research, act and collaborate on pressing environmental issues.

The SETY Camps include lectures from renowned experts on sustainability, open discussions and interactive learning opportunities. Participants engage with the SET concept in theory and practice. Through group projects, fields trips and being confronted with concrete issues they learn to readily apply abstract ideas to real-life contexts. The program is supplemented by the study of leadership and conflict resolutions skills. This enables participants to spearhead initiatives and catalyze positive change within their own communities. SETY Camps 2022 and 2023 put an additional focus on feminist perspectives and supporting young women in the field of natural sciences. By developing their own research proposals and sharing academic career goals, the female students were encouraged to pursue research-oriented professions. In 2023, participating students established a network for young women in science to offer each other solidarity and support.

The SETY Camps from 2024 to 2026 expand the scope of the project. Youth from throughout Southeast Asia is able to join, exchange ideas and tackle ecological challenges affecting the entire region. This includes paths towards Net Zero emissions or ways of assisting the next generation in living more sustainably. The project’s ultimate goal is to provide Southeast Asia’s youth with an international platform for academic exchange and collaboration on SET.