The Collaborative Conservation Leadership (CCL) program is a graduate training program run by the Interdisciplinary Biodiversity Solutions Collaboratory (IBioS). IBioS brings together a collaborative, interdisciplinary group of scholars and offers expertise and research opportunities in the ecological and social aspects of conservation, restoration, and sustainable management across the full spectrum of natural and managed ecosystems.
CCL’s mandate is to provide graduate students with the technical and professional skills, interdisciplinary knowledge and cultural competencies to lead future conservation actions in response to conservation challenges and policy commitments in Canada and worldwide.
We welcome applications from entering or current graduate students interested in conservation‑related research and motivated to work with partners outside of academia, including Indigenous communities and organizations, government agencies, environmental NGOs, and industry.
Participation in CCL is intended to be completed within the regular timeframe of a graduate degree.
Student applicants will propose a research topic with their non-academic partner, with the expectation that the topic will form the basis of one or more chapters of their thesis. Over the two years of the fellowship, the CCL program will provide mentorship and guidance for conservation-oriented work from IBioS faculty, partial financial support, cohort-building with a community of like-minded students, opportunities for interactions with a broad array of CCL’s faculty and non-academic partners, and opportunities for developing professional and technical skills and cultural competencies. Annual career events will introduce students to various professions in the conservation field.
Through these activities, CCL will equip participants with the technical expertise, leadership skills, and collaborative experiences needed to succeed in careers in government, Indigenous organizations, eNGOs or industry.
