Sustainability science: a training in participatory approaches for environmental risk management

Workshop

IRASEC, IRD and Chulalongkorn University (CU) collaborated to create a four-day training module entitled “Environmental risk management in the Mekong Basin : a multi-actor approach at the interfaces”. The aim was to equip 20 international development students from Mae Fah Luang University’s School of Social Innovation with interdisciplinary skills linking environmental sciences and the social dimensions of sustainability.

The training combined theoretical lectures with case studies on environmental issues specific to the Mekong Basin (air pollution, floods, droughts, water quality, loss of biodiversity, etc.) Students gained an insight into participatory approaches to inclusive, sustainable development.

Collective learning

The lectures introduced the companion modeling approach (ComMod) : a participatory and adaptive research method, based on a combination of conceptual models, role-playing, and agent-based computer simulations. It is used to facilitate multi-stakeholder workshops to co-create shared representations of complex socio-ecological systems. This method is particularly useful in collective learning, negotiation and decision-making processes in the field of natural resource management.

Another key element of the training was to guide participants in the development of serious games as tools for experiential learning and participatory modeling. Four games were developed during the group sessions to serve multiple objectives : understanding system dynamics, representing complex socio-ecological interactions, facilitating discussions and negotiations between various stakeholders, and testing different management scenarios and policies.

Next edition

Building on the success of this first training course, partners are planning a second edition in 2026, which may include speakers and participants from the Mekong’s neighboring countries to strengthen the regional perspective. The next edition will also include field visits to local communities affected by environmental changes.

Ultimately, the organizing institutions aim to make this module an annual training program that evolves to meet the region’s emerging environmental challenges, while building a network of young professionals equipped with participatory approaches to sustainability science.