Introducing CoCo 1.0
On the 29 and 30 of June 2023, conservation students from four different graduate programs in Oxford and Cambridge gathered for the first Cambridge-Oxford Conservation Collaboration symposium (CoCo 1.0). A new initiative pioneered by the Masters in Conservation Leadership students at the University of Cambridge in collaboration with their Oxford counterparts pursuing graduate degrees in Environmental Change and Management; Biodiversity, Conservation and Management; and International Wildlife Conservation Practice, the event marked a remarkable gathering of future conservation leaders.
CoCo 1.0 aimed to foster synergy across the universities, creating a vibrant platform for mutual learning and networking and reflecting the urgent need for collaborative approaches in conservation.
The event kicked off with a BBQ social in the beautiful setting of Oxford’s historic Wytham Woods. This gathering set the tone for an engaging and enriching exchange, allowing students to bond over shared interests and aspirations.
On the subsequent day, structured collaborative workshops were held. These featured an extensive range of discussions on sub-themes in conservation, including gender, colonialism, rewilding, food, and technology. These interactive sessions served as a platform for innovative ideas and provided a holistic understanding of the imminent challenges in the conservation sector, further building relationships among the future conservation leaders.
The event was also honoured with opening remarks from Professor Bhaskar Vira, who currently serves as the Pro Vice Chancellor for Education at the University of Cambridge. His wisdom and insightful perspectives served to inspire the participants, further emphasising the event's importance and setting the stage for the intense discussions that followed.
The event's success can be attributed to the exceptional leadership of the committee members from Cambridge: Aditi Patil, Albina Mamedova, Karen Park, and Masaki Ogawa (2022-2023 cohort). Their dedication and professionalism transformed CoCo 1.0 into a platform of inspiration, networking, and empowerment for all participants.
Reflecting on the event, Aditi noted, "CoCo provided us with immense insight to enact the leadership theories we study into practice. Starting from scratch, it was challenging to go through all processes, like leading coordination with Oxford, securing funding, gathering student volunteers, and managing logistics. But to do these with friends was just amazing".
CoCo 1.0 marked an innovative step forward in the academic journey of the Masters in Conservation Leadership. It extended beyond traditional academic boundaries by establishing a collaborative event between the two universities. It is hoped that this type of collaboration will continue to happen in the future, demonstrating the effectiveness of a collaborative approach in conservation.
