Pontifical universities in Rome are collaborating to address the urgent challenges posed by the global environmental crisis through the introduction of a Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology.
This initiative is in line with Pope Francis's emphasis on the interconnected nature of environmental, economic, political, social, and ethical issues.
The online syllabus outlines that the program will be led by an international faculty comprising distinguished academics, leaders, and activists in the field of creation care. This faculty will be drawn from the Pontifical Universities and Athenaeum in Rome, as well as experts from around the world.
The Joint Diploma in Integral Ecology, initially launched in 2016, is now being offered in English for the first time.
The course is designed to address what the pontifical universities describe as an "unprecedented challenge facing the planet." It consists of six modules, each lasting 90 minutes, with sessions scheduled every third Thursday of the month, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Rome time, spanning January to June 2024.
A workshop is set for March, and an international online conference on Pope Francis’ “Laudate Deum” is scheduled for May.
The pontifical universities anticipate that this course will play a proactive role in deepening understanding of integral ecology, motivating individuals to take meaningful actions to address critical global issues.
The official inauguration of the course is slated on Jan. 25. However, the admissions will remain open until March 31, 2024.