Language for Environmental Futures (LEAF)

How can you use your language skills in the global conversation about climate change? The future of the relationship between humans and the world that we live in is a truly global challenge. However, the conversation about this challenge is conducted at the highest levels of politics and research in a handful of major languages such as English, French, or Mandarin. The fact that much of the conversation is conducted through the specialized languages of policy and science also makes it more difficult to reach a wide range of audiences. There is a concrete risk that linguistic attitudes exclude important perspectives from the global conversation on the climate crisis. Can translation practices and creative skills help us address these issues in a more inclusive and effective way? 

“Language for Environmental Futures (LEAF)” brings together people with interests in multilingualism, translation, globalization, art, and the environment. Together we will reflect on how to build a more equitable and respectful conversation on climate change. Students with different disciplinary and linguistic backgrounds will work together to develop better climate and science communication, engaging with institutional and activist partners.

Content

“Language for Environmental Futures (LEAF)” is aimed at postgraduate students (master & PhD level) with an interest in globalization and/or environmental issues, from a variety of disciplines (sociology, linguistics, international relations, comparative literature, philosophy, creative arts).

LEAF will provide an introduction to environmental humanities with a practical, challenge-based approach using activities like: 

• Artist-led creative practices in connection with local landscapes, including a map-making workshop, an eco-poetry, and attention workshop. They will help students reflect on the many ways in which we can approach, pay attention, describe, and protect the landscapes around us. These have been developed in partnership with Philosophy researchers at the University of Galway as well as the Burren College of Art, an affiliated institution immersed in the Burren National Park; 
• Conversations and study visits with scientific and institutional partners, such as  Galway Atlantaquaria, the National Aquarium of Ireland;
• Translation projects where students will translate key texts linked to sustainability or climate change into target languages, individuating the best strategies to convey their messages to diverse audiences; 
• Transdisciplinary seminars including humanities/social sciences scholars in conversation with environmental scientists; 
• Short mentorship programs (“thesis clinics”) to advise students on their Master/PhD theses, based on student requests and availability.

Learning outcomes

After the course, students will be able to:

• Identify language policies and practices that can influence the discourse on climate change and sustainability
• Engage with creative and artistic techniques as a way of visualizing and reflecting on personal and political involvement with environmental themes. 
• Apply translation skills to the specific task of addressing environmental issues. 
• Develop interdisciplinary and international connections with fellow postgraduate students from other ENLIGHT universities across Europe.  

The programme uses the principles of Challenge-Based Education. We will encourage students to engage with the challenge of communicating the climate crisis as a policy problem and an artistic problem. Students will research information through a variety of texts across their disciplinary backgrounds to investigate the challenge. Finally, they will translate texts and prepare dissemination plans to act on the principles of inclusive communication.

Programme

06/02/2026 - Online introductory session / creation of groups and distribution of assignment

13/02/2026 - Online lecture 1

13/03/2026 - Online project work

27/03/2026 - Online lecture 2

13/04/2026 - 17/04/2025 Onsite week at the University of Galway including:

• Art and ecology workshop at the Burren College of Art (https://www.burrencollege.ie/)
• "Ethics of attention” workshop in collaboration with the School of Philosophy at University of Galway
• Visit to Galway Atlantaquaria (https://nationalaquarium.ie/) and workshop with a science communicator
• Poetry translation workshop
• Debates and discussions with students and lecturers
• Dedicated space for students to work on the projects and finalize it, under supervision from thesis staff
• Thesis clinics with lecturers (based on demand)

30/04/2026 – Online debrief session

Assessment

Translation group project: as a formative assignment, students willl translate a small portfolio of texts (artistic / scientific / policy) into their preferred languages. Students will draw from different types of skills (languages, communication, policy awareness) to decide their approach and strategies to reach specific audiences.
Groups will present their projects as a short pitch to lecturers and other community stakeholders at the end of the intensive week in Galway on 17/04/2026. (65% of mark based on the presentation and supplementary material – slide deck, brochure etc)

Summative assignment in the form of a personal reflection (approximately 1,000 words) on how the student can use the knowledge developed during the BIP in their research and future career. Due 08/05/2026 (35% of mark)

Preliminary results will be available via Canvas (the University of Galway’s Virtual Learning Environment) by late May 2026. Official transcripts of records will become available after the University’s Exam board meeting in late June 2026.

Lecturers

• Andrea Ciribuco – University of Galway
• Su-Ming Khoo – University of Galway
• Marco Caracciolo – Ghent University
• Luc Van Doorslaer – University of Tartu
• Crispin Thurlow – University of Bern

Course dates

On-site: 13-17 April 2026, University of Galway

Online: 6 February 2026, 10:00-13:00 GMT, 13 February 2026, 11:00-13:00 GMT, 13 March 2026, 11:00-13:00 GMT, 27 March 2026, 11:00-13:00 GMT, 30 April 2026, 11 :00-12 :00 GMT

Entry requirements: Being enrolled in postgraduate (master or PhD) study in a relevant field (i.e. modern languages OR comparative literature OR sociology OR international relations OR political sciences). Being able to read and write (CEFR B1 at least) in English and another language. Please note this is a self-declaration – no language certification needed.

Students from all ENLIGHT partner universities are eligible to participate. Students will be selected at each of these universities separately. Students interested in the course need to apply via their home university. They should contact their faculty or programme to verify whether it can fit in their curriculum and to ensure academic recognition of the credits obtained. The home university will select the permitted number of students, inform the students as soon as possible, and then send these names to the host institution. Unsuccessful students will be placed on a waiting list and may get a place, if other universities do not use all their allocated places.

Please select your home university below and contact your ENLIGHT coordinator for further information on the application process or consult the linked information.

• University of the Basque Country: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Bern: Application instructions for students at the University of Bern
• University of Bordeaux: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Comenius University Bratislava: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Galway: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Ghent University:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (see information about BIP's)
• University of Groningen: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• University of Göttingen:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (for BIP’s) or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (other courses)
• University of Tartu: Application instructions for students at the University of Tartu
• Uppsala University: Application instructions for students at Uppsala University.

Andrea Ciribuco: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.