Advancing green economy education

Karyna Rosetti, Professor at Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso 

Mato Grosso, Brazil. 

The agriculture powerhouse state of Mato Grosso in Brazil is not instantly linked to a green economy. But there are people there who want to change this, notably Karyna Rosetti. Karyna is a professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), who has been working to deliver green economy education to graduate and postgraduate students in the state. 

In 2022, Karyna spearheaded the development of the Inclusive Green Economy: Preparing Tomorrow’s Innovators programme. Supported by UNITAR, this 60-hour programme focused on providing comprehensive knowledge on the intricacies of the green economy. The programme was organized as part of the activities of the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) in Mato Grosso State. The state has been an esteemed partner of PAGE since 2016 and this programme has played an integral role in the collaboration. For more information, visit https://www.un-page.org/countries/mato-grosso-state-brazil/ 

The lead-up to the training was marked by remarkable accomplishments at the state level. Karyna played a crucial role in overseeing the creation of a consortium, involving four federal institutions of higher education in Mato Grosso, a pioneering milestone within the state. The UFMT, the Federal University of Rondonópolis (UFR), the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso (IFMT) and the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT) came together to collaborate on the project, leveraging each other’s capacities and expertise.   

The support provided by UNITAR, along with the establishment of the consortium, provided a solid foundation for the formation of a multidisciplinary team to assist in the organization of the training programme. As a result, Mato Grosso State saw the inception of the first-ever academic-grade training on the green economy. Upon its launch, the training programme was delivered virtually through a platform conceived, developed and nurtured by the team. 

In total, the programme saw an impressive participation of 57 students in its first year. As a result of their training, 11 action plans were developed by the students, aligning with the green economy initiatives of Mato Grosso. Four of these plans have already progressed to the incubation stage with IFMT’s Ativa Incubadora, reflecting the programme’s overarching goal to leverage students’ innovative ideas to drive tangible and sustainable outcomes within the green economy practices in Mato Grosso.    

Karyna says that “UNITAR not only offered the necessary resources to consolidate the creation of a qualified training in Inclusive Green Economy but also led us and provided us with tools that made it possible to bring together the largest higher education institutions in the state into a single working group.”  

Looking ahead, Karyna has taken proactive steps, in collaboration with the Federation of Industries of the State, to develop the second edition of the training programme in 2023. This new iteration aims to provide participants with the opportunity to engage directly in resolving real-world challenges faced by the industry, trade and agriculture sectors. By addressing these issues directly, the participants will be able to generate immediate and tangible impacts, contributing significantly to the transition towards a green economy in the State of Mato Grosso.