Call for applications for the 4-week online course by Beyond Climate Collaborative: Apply now for the European Climate Mobility Justice Academy regional course (limited number of scholarships available)

Ednah Carrick June 8, 2026

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Closing Date: 14 June 2026

Call for applications for the 4-week online course by Beyond Climate Collaborative: Apply now for the European Climate Mobility Justice Academy regional course (limited number of scholarships available)

European Climate Mobility Justice Academy

Beyond Climate Collaborative is delighted to launch its first Climate Mobility Justice Academy regional course on climate-related mobilities in the European context: the European Climate Mobility Justice Academy (ECMJA), is a 4-week online course taking place August – September 2026. Applications are now open!

Brief Overview

The Climate Mobility Justice Academy (CMJA) of Beyond Climate Collaborative (BCC) is proud to launch the first edition of the European Climate Justice Academy (ECMJA), in partnership with Climate Outreach, the Climate and Migration Coalition, and Youth and Environment Europe.

The effects of climate change are being felt acutely across Europe with the continent experiencing record-breaking heat waves, wildfires and floods in recent years, with 866,000 internal displacements caused by disasters in Europe and Central Asia by the end of 2023 (IDMC, 2024). For example, Greece recorded the highest numbers, with 91,000 displacements reported, of which 76,000 were linked to wildfires.

Despite these trends, climate mobility research, policy and practice in Europe is lacking. This gap is partially due to an existing bias that that movement, including forced and voluntary migration and displacement are the ‘problems’ and responsibilities of sending nations aboard, ‘othering’ those who move (Nash, 2023), which reinforces geographic inequalities in climate mobility discourse, and can perpetuate harmful dichotomies in climate adaptation and wider popular debates – often rooted in xenophobia, anti-immigrant and/or colonial mentalities (Piguet et al., 2018; Mayrhofer and Ammer, 2022). Centering a critical and decolonial perspective, the ECMJA is designed to challenge Eurocentric framings that externalize displacement to the Global South while ignoring Europe’s own historical role in driving global climate vulnerabilities and shaping migration regimes.

By situating Europe within these broader legacies of extractivism, colonialism, racialized governance, and uneven responsibility for both climate impacts and migration management, the ECMJA encourages participants to interrogate dominant narratives and envision more just approaches to mobility, protection, and adaptation. It is essential to offer a course dedicated to these crucial questions to fill the knowledge gap, challenge harmful narratives, and equip participants with the tools to critically engage with and address climate-related mobilities in a European context.

Course Structure & Key Dates

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The ECMJA 4-week curriculum explores the multifaceted dimensions of climate-related mobilities in Europe through an introductory keynote and six sessions, combining expert lectures, facilitated discussion, and two interactive workshops. Participants will engage with case studies, reflection exercises, and a personal workbook designed to consolidate learning.

All ECMJA sessions take place online via Zoom over four weeks, between August 17 – September 11, 2026, with two sessions per week convened between 15:00 – 17:00 UTC.

Part 1

State of Climate Mobility in Europe: the Current Data and Research

Keynote & Session 1: Climate Mobility – Movement within Europe (August 17th)
Session 2: Intersections of Climate, Livelihoods and Socio-Economic Pressures (August 20th)
Session 3: Europe in the Global Picture of Climate Mobility (August 24th)

Part 2

Understanding the Politics of Climate Mobility in Europe – Policy and Narratives

Session 4: Xenophobia and ‘Threat’ Framing – Deconstructing Climate Migration Narratives & Alarmism (August 27th)
- Workshop 1: Identifying and Deconstructing Alarmist Language (August 31st)
Session 5: The Status of European Policy on Climate Mobility (September 3rd)
Session 6: The Future of Climate Mobility Policy with the Current State of Migration Policy (September 7th)
- Workshop 2 & Closing: Where Do We Go From Here? Setting up a Climate Mobility Agenda in Europe (September 11th)

Beyond the Classroom

Participants will have the opportunity to connect virtually with leading experts, fellow scholars, practitioners, and changemakers throughout the programme. Participants additionally gain access to shared resources and a new community of likeminded scholars and professionals.

CMJA also encourages self-assessment and goal setting for participants through a personal workbook with reflection prompts and exercises.

The Approach

CMJA approach is embedded in learner-centered teaching, where the focus shifts away from top-down content delivery to active participant engagement, welcoming ECMJA participants as a co-creators of knowledge in the learning process. Therefore, CMJA asks that participants take an active role in their learning through engaged discussion, exploration, and problem-solving. Facilitators include interactive elements, model curiosity, ask open-ended questions, and create space for participants to contribute their local knowledge and lived experiences.

Who should apply?

The ECMJA welcomes students, recent graduates, academics, practitioners and change-makers who work on fields adjacent to climate mobility (e.g. migration, climate change adaptation, environmental policy, and beyond). ECMJA welcomes participants at different stages of their activist, research, advocacy and career journeys and encourage diversity across geographies, backgrounds and disciplines. ECMJA do not require you to be European or based in Europe. Instead, ECMJA welcomes applicants for whom the European focus of the programme is of interest and pertinent to your work or education.

ECMJA encourages 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-related migration, displacement and immobility, influencing new laws and policies, providing life-saving assistance in the humanitarian sector, engaging in sustainable development programming on climate change and mobility, or advancing just solutions to the climate-migration nexus, this online course is for you!

Eligibility

To be considered, applicants must have advanced English language skills to participate.

In addition, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Postgraduate student or recent graduate of a postgraduate degree program
Academic (pursuing or holding a PhD) ‍
Practitioner, including a working professional, community organizer, activist, or advocate in a relevant field (e.g. migration, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, social justice etc.)

Note that exceptional applications from undergraduate students or applicants from non-traditional educational or professional backgrounds who bring relevant lived experience are also encouraged to apply.

Attendance, Participation and Engagement Expectations

ECMJA expects participants to attend at least four webinars and one workshop. Participants are asked to do the accompanying readings in order to get the most out of the programme. ECMJA further encourages active participation which includes contributing to class discussions or group activities; engaging through the chat or polls during live sessions; and, keeping your camera on when possible.

ECMJA expect its participants to adhere to all ECMJA Community Ground Rules for an Inclusive & Respectful Classroom Space, which includes treating each other with dignity and respect; listening to and learning from participants’ points of view while recognizing that there may be difference of opinions and disagreement; respecting peers and instructors when constructively critiquing their ideas and listening to understand; keeping discussion and comments on topic and relevant to key themes of the ECMJA; and a zero tolerance policy on the use of inflammatory, offensive or profane language.

Program Fees & Financial Assistance

While CMJA wishes that they could offer the ECMJA free of charge, a lot of hard work goes into making this course possible, and believe it is important to support the team who makes it all happen!

The standard participation fee is €495. Accepted applicants will be expected to confirm their enrollment and pay the programme fee shortly after receiving an offer in late-June / early-July.

Financial Assistance

ECMJA recognizes that not everyone has equal access to financial resources. For this reason, ECMJA offer a limited number of scholarships for applicants who would otherwise be unable to participate.

These places are reserved for those facing significant financial barriers, with priority given to individuals who have experienced impacts on their lives through displacement, dispossession, climate-related disasters, as well as grassroots organizers and frontline advocates whose work constrains their access to income or stability.

Financial support is limited and highly competitive. ECMJA appreciated that if you are in a position to pay the full fee, choosing to do so creates space for someone who cannot. Your contribution directly enables the participation of those who would otherwise be left out, and that generosity is what makes this community possible. Requesting assistance does not guarantee that it can be offered. All requests are assessed through the application form and treated as strictly confidential.

How To Apply

Applications will only be accepted through the following application form. Applications for the 2026 ECMJA are now open!

What you can expect on the online application form:

Provide general information (e.g. name, email address etc.);
Comprehensively answer questions about your motivation and interest to enroll;
If applicable, request consideration for scholarships and confirm how your situation aligns with the purpose of the scholarship support.

ECMJA will assess its applicants on the following criteria:

Meets eligibility requirements;
Demonstrable interest in researching, advocating, and/or changemaking around topics addressed at the ECMJA;
Indication that participating in the ECMJA will aid the applicant in (future) research, advocacy, and changemaking pursuits and career development;
Indication that the applicant will be actively engaged during ECMJA sessions and seminar discussions, contributing to a respectful and enriching dialogical forum.