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The University of Waterloo’s Climate Institute is hosting a virtual National Forum, “Designing Climate-Ready Education for the Next Generation of Professionals”. This online forum will explore what knowledge and skills students need most, and how we can teach in ways that cultivate hope, agency, and purposeful learning. 

Register for the full four-day virtual conference, then drop into the sessions that interest you—on your schedule. 

The session topics and schedule include:  

Mon, Feb 2, 2026 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST 

Opening Plenary 

Mon, Feb 2, 2026 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM EST 

Plenary: Climate Pedagogy 101: Teaching for Impact across Disciplines 

Tue, Feb 3, 2026 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST 

Integrating climate adaptation in landscape architecture education 

Tue, Feb 3, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST 

Integrating climate adaptation in architecture education 

Wed, Feb 4, 2026 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST 

Integrating climate adaptation in planning education 

Wed, Feb 4, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST 

Integrating climate adaptation in accounting education 

Thu, Feb 5, 2026 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST 

Integrating climate adaptation in engineering education 

Thu, Feb 5, 2026 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EST 

Final Plenary: Collaborating across institutions and disciplines 

The forum is aimed at advancing our shared efforts to integrate climate education in professional degree programs - including accounting, architecture, landscape architecture, planning and engineering.

As a participant you will engage with experts, researchers, instructors, program specialists and professional bodies from across Canada.  

Participants will:  

  • Gain insights on key climate action competencies needed by professional engineers, planners, accountants, architects and landscape architects.  

  • Hear directly from colleagues in post-secondary institutions across Canada about how they are integrating climate change into their courses.  

  • Share insights for meaningful and authentic climate education to prepare the next generation of professionals for work in a changing climate.  

  • Build professional networks of people and organisations working to advance climate and sustainability education in post-secondary institutions. 

This forum is part of the Accelerating Climate Education for the Next Generation of Professionals (ACE) project and supported by Natural Resources Canada’s Climate Adaptation Program.