ISCM logo

International School on Climate Mobilities

The International School on Climate Mobilities (ISCM) connects and engages emerging scholars, practitioners and change-makers in critical knowledge exchange, equipping them with tools to advance timely, creative, cross-sectoral and just solutions to the climate change, environment and (im)mobilities nexus

Learn more
Unpacking and responding to climate-related (im)mobilities in the 21st century
Photo by Pubarun Basu
A boy wades through water with trash floating around him. Photo by Pubarun Basu.

"Participating in ISCM as a representative of mountain community was deeply affirming. The program bridged academic rigour with lived realities, offering space to reflect critically on climate mobility from Indigenous, decolonial, and justice-based perspectives. I especially valued the diverse voices, interdisciplinary framing, and openness to non-Western epistemologies. Joining ISCM felt like coming home to a global community that cares deeply about justice, place, and people on the move. As an Indonesian from rural regions, I often feel our stories are missing from climate discussions, but here, I felt heard. The sessions challenged and inspired me, not just intellectually, but emotionally. I walked away with a stronger sense of purpose, new friendships, and language to speak about the things my community lives every day. I’m deeply grateful for this space"

Riza Annisa Anggraeni
Project Leader, Project Sonorou (Indonesia)
International school of climate mobilities logo

About the ISCM

Delivering an enriching and interdisciplinary educational program, the ISCM seeks to equip curious and change-driven scholars, researchers and practitioners with the tools needed to critically analyze the complexities of climate-induced displacement. By unpacking the many nuances of problematizing climate-related mobilities across disciplines and geographies, the ISCM provides a space for co-knowledge production across historical, socio-political, legal and developmental perspectives in the hope of creating durable, needs-responsive and sustainable solutions.

Contents

Mountains with glaciers pouring into a large blue lake. Photo by Tanner Latham.
Photo by Tanner Latham

Our Learning Approach

Uniquely, the ISCM places compounding threats to the livelihoods, wellbeing, rights and lives of those most vulnerable to environmental change at its center. It grants particular attention to underlying conditions of marginality that render women and girls, racialized, minority and Indigenous groups and economically disenfranchised persons highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, to climate-induced displacement and related threats.

In line with Climate Mobility Justice Academy (CMJA) approaches, the ISCM engages participants in solutions-focused learning through the lenses of critical, decolonial, rights-respecting social, migrant, racial, feminist, economic and environmental justice. The ISCM encourages structural and systemic analysis of environmental-related (im)mobility challenges, with the aim of shifting away from exclusionary research and praxis in the pursuit of advancing timely, creative, cross-sectoral and just solutions to (im)mobilities on a warming planet.

Objectives

1

To facilitate an educational forum for critical dialogue, evidence-based learning and solutions-driven engagement

2

To embolden the knowledge and approaches taken by emerging scholars as they grapple with the nuances of climate-related mobilities

3

To advance research around the climate-migration nexus

4

To expand the network of educated scholars and practitioners contributing research to and advocating in the climate mobility space

Orange and white colored landscape from above

Course structure

Spanning across topical themes of the online six-week course, the ISCM offers a blend of rigorous and engaging lectures and seminars.

Week 1

Multiple and complex drivers and agency in climate-related (im)mobilities

Week 2

Environmental (im)mobilities, health, food and livelihood security

Week 3

Climate justice: unpacking coloniality, gender, race, class, indigeneity and climate-related displacement

Week 4

Protection politics: climate mobility, human rights and refugee law

Week 5

From structural violence to ‘resource wars’: the climate change, conflict and displacement nexus

Week 6

Building resilience in the context of environmental (im)mobilities: mitigating risks, enhancing adaptive capacity and addressing loss and damage

Beyond the Classroom

At the International School on Climate Mobilities (ISCM), we believe in extending learning and networking opportunities beyond the classroom setting. ISCM participants join a global network with access to continued opportunities to engage with new friends and colleagues through emerging projects at the Beyond Climate Collaborative.

Side-Events

Engage in extracurricular events that dive deeper into climate mobilities topics with experts and peers.

Networking

Connect with a global community of leaders, practitioners,  experts and scholars in climate-related (im)mobilities and environmental justice.

Alumni Network

Join a thriving network of ISCM alumni, fostering collaboration and shared learning worldwide.

Career Development

Access tools, mentorship, and opportunities to advance your career in climate and mobility fields.

Knowledge Production & Publishing Opportunities

Collaborate on impactful research, publications, special projects and thought leadership in climate mobilities.

Educational Resources

Explore curated materials and resources to continue your learning journey beyond the classroom.

Previous Years

2025

Overview

In 2025, the International School on Climate Mobilities (ISCM) brought together 115 participants from 47 countries and 40 visiting experts to explore the intersections of climate-related (im)mobilities and environmental justice. Over the course of a seven-week summer school, participants engaged in online lectures and rigorous seminars led by leading voices in the field.

The majority of the cohort were researchers, students, advocates, development practitioners, and activists, alongside academics, legal practitioners, policymakers, aid workers, entrepreneurs, artists, and creatives. Participants represented academic institutions such as Columbia University, Wageningen University, University of Cape Town, University of the South Pacific, and SOAS University of London. They also came from UN and government agencies, and civil society organizations including the UN Migration Agency, Danish Refugee Council, C40 Cities, Indigenous Friends of the Mau Forest, RESAMA, Centre for Justice and International Law, Global Centre for Climate Mobility, and the French Development Agency, among others.

Sessions spanned time zones, with change-making participants joining from across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The top five countries by participation were India, Brazil, the United States, Nigeria, and Kenya.

115

Participants

47

Countries

40

Visiting Experts

Side Events

To complement our core programming, ISCM 2025 hosted a series of side events designed to deepen understanding, foster connections, creatively engage and open new avenues for reflection and growth in the climate mobility field.

Creative Expression Session | Climate Stories

‍A reflective and imaginative workshop inviting participants to explore climate mobility narratives through poetry, photography, storytelling, music, and visual art. This creative space encouraged participants to connect themes of identity, belonging, justice, and hope to the environmental challenges explored in the programme, demonstrating the power of storytelling as a tool for advocacy and empathy.

Collaborative Café | Imagine Climate Utopia

‍An informal, dynamic networking session designed to spark collaboration and imaginative thinking. Using rotating breakout discussions, participants envisioned climate-just futures, explored ways to translate research into action, and identified opportunities for ethical, community-rooted projects that cross disciplines and geographies.

Climate Displacement Disruptors: Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Resilient Futures
Co-hosted with the Climate Action Division of the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), this public event showcased entrepreneurs, policy innovators, and community leaders developing scalable, justice-based solutions to address climate-related displacement. Discussions highlighted best practices for resilience-building, disaster risk reduction, and equitable development, with a focus on supporting both those who move and those who remain.

Impact

Before participating in the ISCM 2025, participants rated their understanding of climate mobility at an average of 55%. By the end of the programme, that average rose to 86% — reflecting significant growth in knowledge and confidence across our global cohort.

Learn more about the full 2025 programme, our line-up of visiting experts, and how participants from around the world came together to explore the intersections of climate change, mobility, and environmental justice in the ISCM 2025 End-of-School Report.

91%

Average rating on overall experience

90%

Average rating on overall accessibility of the ISCM

96%

Average rating of likeliness to recommend the ISCM to others

Capstone Partners

Program Partners

Special thanks to our partners at the School of Law and Department of Development Studies at SOAS University of London, our dear collaborators at IOM, our formidable visiting experts, and our contagiously energizing 2025 cohort — the daring thought leaders, bold activists, and change-makers who continue to inspire this work.

We are deeply grateful to our exceptional coordinating team who, under the leadership of Programme Director, Daniella Otte, made the fourth annual programme possible: Gabriela Nagle Alverio, Claire Oxford, Lucia Tremonti, Labiba Rukhsana, Jake Clarke, Arzina Lakhani, Anna Butler, and Leá Meltz.

2024

Overview

In 2024, the ISCM brought 92 participants from 49 countries around the world together with more than 40 visiting experts to engage in enriching online lectures and rigorous seminars over the course of the six-week summer school.

65% of our participants were recent graduates of post-graduate degree programmes or practitioners. The cohort represented academic institutions such as Duke University, Columbia University, Geneva Graduate Institute, SOAS University of London, Hertie School, Chatham House, and the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies. They represented UN agencies, non-governmental and civil society organizations such as FAO, European Parliament, Ghana Immigration Service, Government of Fiji, French Development Agency, Africa Migration and Policy Development Centre, Amnesty International, Danish Refugee Council, and the Global Centre on Adaptation.

ISCM participants joined lecture and seminar sessions from around the world, with the majority tuning in across Asia, Europe and Africa, with India, the United States, Kenya, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom reflecting the top five countries by participation.

92

Participants

49

Countries

40

Visiting Experts

Side Events

The ISCM 2024 programme included community side-events to connect and network, as well as a public event on Career Pathways in the Climate Mobility Sector, co-hosted together with the Program on Climate, Resilience and Mobility (PCRM) at Duke University and The Climate-Migration Conversation: Decolonizing the Narrative around Climate-related (Im)mobilities, co-hosted by SOAS University of London.

Capstone Projects

Moving beyond the classroom, ISCM participants had the opportunity to engage in an optional capstone project. Capstone projects provided ISCM participants with a unique, collaborative learning opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice by developing their practical skills for research, (legal) advocacy, policy-making and other streams of collaborative work to develop evidence-based, people-centred and nature-positive solutions to climate change and related forced migration and displacement. Participants engaged in the capstone project worked independently to support the work of partnering institutions over the course of six weeks, resulting in policy briefs, toolkits and case summaries, respectively.

Impact

Before participating in the ISCM, our participants rated their understanding of climate mobility an average of 54%. By the time they completed our course, that average skyrocketed to 84%.

Learn more about the full 2024 programme, our line-up of visiting experts, and how participants and visiting experts from around the world came together to explore the intersections of climate change, mobility, and environmental justice through theISCM 2024 End-of-School Report.

88%

Average rating on overall experience

88%

Average rating on overall accessibility of the ISCM

94%

Average rating of likeliness to recommend the ISCM to others

Capstone Partners

Earth RefugeRefugees InternationalICAAD

Program Partners

Special thanks to our partners and the formidable coordinators, contributors and friends of the ISCM who made it possible in 2024: Visalaakshi Annamalai, Aryan Bajpai, Chloé ten Brink, Olivia Karp, Leá Meltz, Gabriela Nagle Alverio, Claire Oxford, Lucia Tremonti, and founding team members, Caitlin Burrows and Daniella Otte.

2023

Overview

In 2023, the ISCM brought 80 participants from 46 countries around the world together with more than 30 visiting experts to engage in enriching online lectures and rigorous seminars over the course of the six-week summer school.

More than half of our participants were recent graduates of post-graduate degree programmes or practitioners. The cohort represented academic institutions such as Duke University, Sciences Po, University of Sussex, University of Ghana, Columbia Climate School, University of the West Indies, University of Juba, London School of Economics, Oxford University, University of Cambridge, SOAS University of London, Stanford Law School, University of Pretoria and the South American Network for Environmental Migrations. They represented UN agencies, non-governmental and civil society organizations such as IOM, NORCAP, ICRC, Global Centre on Adaptation, Chatham House, and Mixed Migration Centre.

ISCM participants joined lecture and seminar sessions from around the world, with the majority tuning in from Italy, the United States, India, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

80

Participants

46

Countries

30

Visiting Experts

Side-Events

The ISCM 2023 programme included community side-events to connect and network, as well as a public event on Career Pathways in the Climate Mobility Sector, co-hosted together with the Program on Climate, Resilience and Mobility (PCRM) at Duke University.

Capstone Projects

Capstone Projects: Moving beyond the classroom, ISCM participants had the opportunity to engage in an optional capstone project. Capstone projects provided ISCM participants with a unique, collaborative learning opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice by developing their practical skills for research, (legal) advocacy, policy-making and other streams of collaborative work to develop evidence-based, people-centred and nature-positive solutions to climate change and related forced migration and displacement. Participants engaged in the capstone project worked independently to support the work of partnering institutions over the course of six weeks, resulting in policy briefs, toolkits and case summaries, respectively.

Impact

Before participating in the ISCM, our participants rated their understanding of climate mobility an average of 58%. By the time they completed our course, that average skyrocketed to 86%.

Learn more about the full 2023 programme, our line-up of visiting experts, and how participants and visiting experts from around the world came together to explore the intersections of climate change, mobility, and environmental justice through the ISCM 2023 End-of-School Report.

89%

Average rating on overall experience

90%

Average rating on overall accessibility of the ISCM

96%

Average rating of likeliness to recommend the ISCM to others

Capstone Partners

Earth RefugeShabakaEquality Bahamas

Program Partners

Special thanks to our partners and the formidable coordinators, contributors and friends of the ISCM who made it possible in 2023: Nadia Cheng, Jake Clarke, Betty Cresswell, Gabriela Nagle Alverio, Labiba Rukhsana and founding team members, Caitlin Burrows and Daniella Otte.

2022

Overview

In its first year, the ISCM brought 80 participants together with 17 leading experts to unpack how we problematize climate migration in order to respond to it in the 21st century through weekly lectures and seminars over the course of five weeks.  

76% of our participants came to us from academia – institutions such as Addis Ababa University, American University, King’s College London, the University of Delhi and the University of Nigeria – and 14% were working with NGOs – such as the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, IOM – UN Migration, the African Migration and Policy Development Centre.

Our participants contributed from across the world, with the majority tuning into lectures and seminars from India, Italy, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

80

Participants

Countries

17

Visiting Experts

Impact

Before participating in the ISCM, our participants rated their understanding of climate migration an average of 55%. By the time they completed our course, that average skyrocketed to 82%.

Learn more about how participants and visiting experts from around the world came together to explore the intersections of climate change, mobility, and environmental justice through the ISCM 2022 Feedback Evaluation Survey.

Read reflections from ISCM alum, Prof. Alison Elizabeth Lee: 'Five Things I Learned From the ISCM'

86

Average rating on overall experience

87

Average rating on overall accessibility of the ISCM

Average rating of likeliness to recommend the ISCM to others

Capstone Partners

Program Partners

Special thanks to our partners and the formidable coordinators, contributors and friends of the ISCM who made it possible in 2022: Clara Colombet, Dr. Debojyoti Das, Robert Los, Sristhi Saxena, and founding team members, Caitlin Burrows and Daniella Otte.

A stairway climbs up through green jungle

Who should apply?

The ISCM welcomes students, recent graduates, academics, practitioners and change-makers from all corners of the world who are keen to unpack how we problematize and respond to climate and environmental-related (im)mobilities in the twenty-first century. We welcome participants at different stages of their research, advocacy and career journeys and encourage diversity – across geographies and disciplines.

We encourage participation amongst change-makers who are passionate about advancing resilience to climate change and environmental shocks through disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, as well as those who champion human rights-based protection for those who move and those who stay to cope with the intensifying impacts of climate change, disasters and environmental degradation.

If you are passionate about researching the nuances of climate-induced migration, displacement and immobility, influencing new laws and policies, providing life-saving assistance in the humanitarian sector or engaging in sustainable development programming on climate change and migration, this course is for you!

ISCM 2025
"Well done on the organisation, seamless! Thank you for showing up with your entire selves, and as such inspiring people to do the same. Well structured, clear and logical programme, great lecturers, and engaging."
Lene Pritchard
Development Coordinator
University of Queensland (Australia)
ISCM 2022
“The ISCM has been a very enjoyable experience! I learnt a lot from the speakers and also from the other participants. I find it really reassuring to see so many people around the world interested in Climate Migration and eager to find solutions... After the class, I was even more eager to continue researching on this topic and had more questions/ideas for future research."
Justine Julia Yvonne
FLASCO University, Argentina (Ecuador)
ISCM 2023
"This is exactly what I was hoping to achieve from the ISCM—a global and interdisciplinary overview of climate migration that would help me better understand how the specific issues I confront every day in my work fit into the bigger picture"
Vanessa Rivas-Bernardy
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (USA)
ISCM 2022
“It was one of the most refreshing programs with diverse themes, current issues anchored in a range of complex social, political, economic and environmental dynamics”
Dr. Kebede Kassa
IGAD (Ethiopia)
ISCM 2025
"Participating in ISCM as a representative of mountain community was deeply affirming. The program bridged academic rigour with lived realities, offering space to reflect critically on climate mobility from Indigenous, decolonial, and justice-based perspectives. I especially valued the diverse voices, interdisciplinary framing, and openness to non-Western epistemologies. Joining ISCM felt like coming home to a global community that cares deeply about justice, place, and people on the move. As an Indonesian from rural regions, I often feel our stories are missing from climate discussions, but here, I felt heard. The sessions challenged and inspired me, not just intellectually, but emotionally. I walked away with a stronger sense of purpose, new friendships, and language to speak about the things my community lives every day. I’m deeply grateful for this space."
Riza Annisa Anggraeni
Project Leader
Project Sonorou (Indonesia)
ISCM 2024
“ISCM was the community I didn't know I needed. I learned so much over the six weeks, and the fact that the speakers came from everywhere and brought with them knowledge that I could not otherwise have found if I stayed in places where I usually am (e.g. UNFCCC, Philippine policy landscape, even the confines of school) helped in create an enlightening and informative school. The reflections of the other participants were always thought-provoking, and it was a really crucial - and safe - space for me to learn, unlearn, and relearn things"
Jameela Joy Reyes
Manila Observatory, Friends of the Earth Philippines (Philippines)
ISCM 2024
“I loved learning from all the many different experts, scholars and practitioners that came to every class, as well as sharing this space with students from all over the world. In particular, it think the perspectives, experiences and case studies shared from the Global South enriched the School in a very unique way. And the integration of critical discussions about race, ethnicity or gender made the classes more engaging and challenging. After these 6 weeks, I left with more questions than answers - in a way that it has encouraged me to keep diving into the topic of climate (im)mobilities”
Esther Montesinos Calvo-Fernández
University Cork College (Spain)
ISCM 2022
“The platform is one of a kind and probably the only one to help unravel the many facets of climate change and migration in a holistic and interactive manner. It has helped me humanise an otherwise seemingly distant phenomenon like climate change”
Anonymous Participant
ISCM 2023
"The experts that presented during the lectures and those who moderated the seminars were very open to questions and felt like they were learning along the way with the participants"
Radwa Adel Hassan Adawy
SOAS University of London (Egypt)
ISCM 2022
“What a remarkable venue for bringing together climate and migration researchers and practitioners from across the globe, opening spaces for sharing insights, experiences, and outstanding questions from multiple perspectives from the personal to the legal and everything in between.”
Dr. Jeremiah D. Osborne-Gowey
University of Colorado Boulder (USA)
ISCM 2023
"The ISCM was an eye-opening experience for me, a first-generation learner and internal climate migrant, as we delved into the complex world of climate change, mobility, refuge, and migration. Connecting with experts and peers, I learned about the global impact of climate-induced displacement, inspiring me to contribute towards a sustainable future and igniting a passion for environmental advocacy"
Prashant Jibhakate
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (India)
ISCM 2023
"To begin with, my entire preliminary understanding of climate migration was completely shaken and rebuilt with the introductory week that focused on 'Multiple and Complex Drivers and Agency in Climate- related (Im)Mobilities.' Grappling with the multi-layered concepts of (Im)Mobilities and Agency for the first time was a truly enlightening experience. Similarly, the other weeks that followed, each broke a nascent understanding of mine on a particular issue and alternatively built a highly dense foundational understanding"
Philo Magalene A
Protect Our Planet Movement (India)
ISCM 2024
“My experience with the ISCM was transformative and enlightening. Collaborating with over 100 diverse scholars and practitioners Globally, we delved into the intricate challenges of climate-related (im)mobilities. Over six weeks, the program provided a robust educational journey, fostering critical analysis and dialogue across social sciences, environmental studies, and development disciplines during lectures and seminars. Expert insights and firsthand accounts of climate impacts enriched my understanding, guiding me towards creating inclusive and sustainable solutions to impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities worldwide”
Dr. Lucy Mandillah
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Kenya)
ISCM 2023
"The ISCM provided a platform for me to collaborate with like-minded activists and develop practical strategies to raise awareness and drive policy changes. Inspired and empowered, I came to my workplace ready to amplify my voice and make a meaningful impact in the fight against climate-induced migration"
Hasibul Hasan
Global Youth Mobilization & Bangladesh Youth Environmental Initiative (Bangladesh)
ISCM 2023
"The seminars were a highlight for me; the intimate setting allowed for deep discussions and genuine connections with fellow participants. Engaging in the online discussion forums and completing the weekly reading assignments enriched my understanding and broadened my perspective"
Valerie Quintero Borrero
Universidad del Valle & Université Aix-Marseille (France)

ISCM Impact

Building a global network of change-makers committed to advancing environmental mobility justice

Received 1600+ applications from 100+ countries in the world

Welcomed 365+ participants from 70+ countries in the world

Joining us from institutions such as: IOM, UNCHR, FAO, UNESCO, NORCAP, DRC, IGAD, Government of Fiji, Somali Disaster Agency, European Parliament, Amnesty International, Sciences Po, LSE, UCL, Oxford, Cambridge, Duke, Columbia Climate School, among others

Hosted 84 visiting experts, highlighting 50+ case studies from nearly all regions of the world

Joining us from institutions such as: IOM, UNHCR, PDD, IDMC, IPCC, GCCM, Hugo Observatory, RWI, RLI RESMA, CMARN, among others

Facilitated 5 Community Side-Events for participant networking

Including a Knowledge and Ideas Marketplace, highlighting participants' existing and envisioned projects on climate-related (im)mobilities and encouraging pathways for collaboration, and a Creative Expression event for arts-based reflection and reimagination

Hosted 4 Learning Side-Events open to the public

Including Climate Displacement Disruptors: Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Resilient Futures co-hosted with IOM, Career Pathways in the Climate Mobility Sector co-hosted with IOM and Duke University, and The Climate Migration Conversation: Decolonizing the Narrative around Climate-related (Im)mobilities co-hosted with SOAS University of London

Facilitated 7 Capstone Projects

In partnership with Earth Refuge, Refugees International, International Center for Advocates Against Discrimination, Shabaka Social Enterprise, and Equality Bahamas, giving participants the opportunity to apply their knowledge, develop creative and practical tools and contribute directly to research, advocacy and creative outputs together with partner organizations

Shared the Climate Mobility Resource Database

Containing 300+ resources such as academic papers, reports, policy briefs, podcasts and educational materials with participants to encourage continued learning around climate-related (Im)mobilities and environmental justice

Be the first to know when to apply

Join our mailing list so you can be one of the first to know when we announce the next ISCM program.