IUCN Academy launches new suite of courses ahead of the IUCN Congress 2025 

IUCN Academy’s Newest Courses

As the ecological and social landscape continues to evolve rapidly, the IUCN Academy is pleased to announce seven new open access, self-paced educational resources designed to empower leaders with the latest conservation insights and tools to take action for Nature and People and enhance professional development. Explore these courses below:

Biodiversity Offsetting in a Nature Positive World: An introduction to biodiversity offsets – conservation outcomes to compensate for adverse and unavoidable impacts of projects as the final step in the nature mitigation hierarchy.

Conflict Sensitivity in Conservation: Principles and Practice: Resources and tools on conflict sensitivity to help conservation leaders strengthen their capacities in integrating conflict and peace considerations into action for nature.

Introduction to Conservation and Agriculture: An exploration of the food-nature nexus to reimagine agriculture as a force for regeneration, not only to safeguard biodiversity but also food security and nutrition, land health and local livelihoods.

Introduction to Conservation and Climate Change: An exploration of the interconnections between biodiversity and climate change, detailing how climate impacts and solutions affect and are affected by conservation action.

Introduction to Mapping Biodiversity Priorities: A step-by-step guide to applying spatial data for identifying hotspots and planning conservation priorities to help shape policy and strengthen global biodiversity reporting.

Introduction to the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas: An introduction to the IUCN Green List and how to measure and improve the performance of area-based conservation

Introduction to Nature Positive and IUCN RHINO: The IUCN Rapid High-Integrity Nature-positive Outcomes (RHINO) approach guides companies and other actors on what to do, where to act, and how to track progress towards Nature Positive.

Flexible, fully online, and self-paced, these courses fit into busy schedules – so learners can move forward at their own rhythm and unlock a Certificate of Completion to demonstrate their initiative in lifelong learning.

Professional Certificates for Continuing Education

IUCN Academy Professional Certificate programmes will be running their next editions in early 2026 for leaders who wish to enhance their sustainability skills alongside conservation experts and likeminded professionals from all sectors.

These 5-week courses offer a virtual space for leaders to get together and discuss how to begin the new year with the sustainability insights shared and important decisions taken at global fora and conferences taking place in the last quarter of 2025.

Professional Certificate on the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions™: An in-depth exploration of the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions to support leaders in applying the Standard to develop sustainable projects and solutions and preparing for high integrity application.

Professional Certificate on Finance for Nature: A programme that provides leaders with research-informed and practice-infused skills to navigate the broad spectrum of the finance-nature ecosystem.

Professional Certificate on Nature for Cities: Practical and interdisciplinary training to gain the critical skills and knowledge needed to lead urban conservation efforts and enhance biodiversity in cities worldwide.

With rolling enrolment, seats in these courses are filled on a first come, first served basis. Leaders who complete these programmes are awarded an IUCN Academy Professional Certificate.

About the IUCN Academy

With its growing community of almost 23,000 learners, the IUCN Academy is expanding its reach as a go-to hub for those passionate about nature, sustainability and professional growth.

As one early adopter from Kenya remarked:

This is more than a platform—it’s a community. It levels the playing field for aspiring conservationists everywhere.

At the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress, the IUCN Academy will be opening the doors to the Learning Zone – a vibrant space for training, dialogue, and hands-on learning designed to power up conservation action. IUCN Congress participants are invited to join the Learning Zone and meet the team behind the IUCN’s training and capacity building services.

For more information, please contact:

IUCN Academy

[email protected]

www.iucnacademy.org