Pre-conference short courses
Monday 1 March 2027
Several short courses (one-day & half day) are offered to conference delegates before the conference, on 1 March 2027. These will take place at the conference venue and have limited availability.
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Designing Behaviour Change Interventions for Managing Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence
Led by:
Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force;
Laura Perry, Castlerock Conservation and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force
Description: Human-wildlife conflict interventions often seek to change behaviour, but struggle to incorporate behavioural science into these approaches. This practical course will introduce participants to a structured, evidence-informed process for designing behaviour change interventions that support coexistence. Participants will learn how to define behavioural problems, identify relevant actors, diagnose influencing factors, and select appropriate interventions. They will also consider how social, cultural, economic and institutional contexts shape behaviour and intervention feasibility. Through case studies and exercises, participants will develop an intervention strategy for a HWC challenge. The course is suitable for practitioners working across conservation; no behavioural science training is required.
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Length: Full day (09-17h)
Interactive session
Propose your own interactive format not listed above (e.g., facilitated roundtable, fishbowl, or knowledge café). The emphasis is on dialogue and exchange around a specific question or challenge. The session must include representatives from more than one sector.
Led by:
Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force;
Laura Perry, Castlerock Conservation and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force
Panel, reverse panel
A moderated discussion with 4-6 panellists addressing challenges in the HWC field, including audience participation. Reverse panels invert the traditional format, with panellists presenting questions or challenges and the audience acting as experts. Panellists must represent more than one sector.
Led by:
Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force;
Laura Perry, Castlerock Conservation and IUCN SSC CEC Behaviour Change Task Force
Social research methods for assessing and monitoring human-wildlife conflict
Led by: Dr Jenny Glikman (Instituto de Estudios Sociales Avanzados; IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group)
Description: This short course will cover the key elements of designing and implementing a social science research project for human-wildlife conflict projects. It will focus on identifying clear study objectives in order to apply appropriate quantitative or qualitative research methods, including questionnaires and other commonly used survey instruments. After the short course, attendees will be ready to get started with their own social science research and be able to critique existing instruments.
Date and time: Wednesday 29 March, 9am – 12pm
Mapping the risk of human-wildlife conflict
Led by: Dr Jacqueline Morrison (Chester Zoo; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford)
Description: Identifying the spatial and temporal distribution of human-wildlife conflicts, and understanding the ecological and anthropogenic factors that influence them is important to prioritise mitigation for vulnerable species and people. This short course will show participants how to source and process freely available data at regional and global scales, and employ geospatial analysis to map and predict areas at risk. No previous experience required.
Date and time: Wednesday 29 March, 9 am – 12 pm
Social marketing and behaviour change for human-wildlife conflict mitigation projects
Led by: Dr Diogo Verissimo (Oxford Martin School; IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group), Laura Perry (Global Species Survival Center, Indianapolis) and Amy Fitzmaurice (Kent Wildlife Trust; Chester Zoo)
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Description: Understanding and influencing human behaviour is key to addressing human-wildlife conflicts. Social marketing focuses on applying concepts and theories originally developed in the business sector to influence people and achieve social good. This short course will use a case study involving tigers and communities in Nepal.
Date and time: Wednesday 29 March, 2 pm – 5 pm
Working with the media on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence issues
Led by: Virat A Singh (IUCN SSC Human-Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence Specialist Group)
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Description: As the media has the power to change the way people perceive wildlife issues, it is increasingly crucial to have a better understanding of how to engage with it in innovative ways. This short course explores how continuous engagement with the media plays a key role in conservation, focusing on aspects such as crisis communication, media management, and effective usage of social media.
Date and time: Wednesday 29 March, 2 pm – 5 pm
How to design insurance schemes for human-wildlife co-existence
Led by: Paul Steele (Chief Economist, International Institute for Environment and Development) and Barbara Chabbaga (Actuary and Partner, AB Consultants, Kenya)
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Description: Insurance offers exciting potential for human-wildlife co-existence. This short course will provide interactive learning on insurance design, drawing from experience in Kenya and Sri Lanka. This will include actuarial expertise on how to design an insurance scheme in your country.
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Date and time: Wednesday 29th March, 2 pm – 5 pm
