Project phase 1 – Prototype development based on the example of Southwest Germany

Southwest Germany was selected for prototype development in connection with climate-fit (klimafit), an adult-education course on region-specific climate change offered at selected community colleges, as valuable insights had already been gathered in the region from a pilot study at the community college in Emmendingen, conducted in the winter semester 2016/2017. The study was jointly planned and implemented by the regional educational in-stitutions ifpro and fesa e.V., the WWF Germany and REKLIM, working in close collaboration with the local climate protection manager for Emmendingen. The climate-fit (klimafit) project is sponsored by the Robert Bosch Foundation and Klaus Tschira Foundation. The outcomes and lessons learned during the pilot study were actively integrated into the prototype development for Southwest Germany.
The regional partners fesa e.V. and ifpro have years of experience providing educational products on climate protection and climate adaptation; as such, they are also extensively networked with the relevant actors in Southwest Germany. With the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), REKLIM possesses recognised scientific expertise ‘on site’. Moreover, in light of the fact that the effects of climate change can already be clearly seen in this region, it is an excellent candidate for an adult-education course on climate change, climate protection and climate adaptation. Taken together, these aspects offer the ideal setting for developing a successful prototype that can also be used in the project’s remaining two key regions: coastal areas and Central Germany.

The chief objectives during phase 1 are to:

  • develop a prototype for a region-specific adult-education course for continuing education in municipal and regional climate protection on the topic ‘climate change and climate adaptation’ that employs a blended-learning format.
  • test and evaluate the prototype at six locations throughout Southwest Germany, which will in turn provide the basis for implementation in all three key regions (coastal areas, Central Germany and Southern Germany).
  • gather valuable experience in establishing the structures needed in order to roll out the blended-learning course in Southwest Germany, based on interactions with the participating community colleges, regional actors and REKLIM.
  • externally evaluate the course and the structure of the prototype in Southwest Germany.