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Cheikh Modou Noreyni Fall recently attended the WCRP Future Leaders Development Workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, to represent the Fresh Eyes on CMIP community. He has provided the blog post below to summarise the discussions and outcomes from the workshop. Huge thanks to Cheikh for his attendance!
Future Leaders Development Workshop
September 12–13, 2025
The WCRP Future Leaders Development Workshop, held at the University of Cape Town and online, aimed to shape the foundation of the WCRP Academy’s Future Leaders Programme. The event brought together global experts in capacity building and leadership development, with strong emphasis on Global South participation.
I took part in the panel discussion titled “How can we build on successful capacity development efforts to enrich the WCRP experience”, representing Fresh Eyes on CMIP.
During my intervention, I highlighted how Fresh Eyes on CMIP:
- Serves as an active platform for exchange and collaboration among Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from both the Global North and South;
- Facilitates the sharing of tools, methods, and resources, helping to bridge existing research capacity gaps;
- Represents a model community for knowledge co-production that can support the development of the WCRP Future Leaders Programme.
Group discussions and the final whiteboard synthesis identified several priorities for the design of the Future Leaders Programme:
- Modular training programmes combining online and onsite learning;
- Personal development components focused on self-awareness, equity, and inclusive leadership;
- Structured mentoring and coaching schemes to nurture the next generation of climate leaders and strengthen the global ECR network.
Scientific Steering Group (SSG) Meeting
September 15–16, 2025
During the WCRP Scientific Steering Group Meeting, I participated as a panelist in the session on Engaging with Early Career Researchers.
I presented Fresh Eyes on CMIP as an impactful example of community-driven collaboration within WCRP, now comprising over 300 active members worldwide. The presentation emphasised the network’s role in capacity building, inclusivity, and knowledge sharing, particularly in advancing Global South participation.
The discussions during the meeting focused on:
- The implementation of the Future Leaders Programme as a flagship activity of the WCRP Academy;
- Opportunities for fellowships, mentoring, and leadership development under the Academy’s umbrella;
- Strengthening cross-community collaboration among WCRP Early Career networks such as My Climate Risk, APARC, and YESS.
Outcomes and Perspectives
My participation in both events contributed to:
- Raising the visibility of Fresh Eyes on CMIP within WCRP’s leadership structures;
- Establishing strategic links with other Academy partners and ECR networks;
- Helping to co-develop the roadmap for the Future Leaders Programme, where Fresh Eyes on CMIP can play a key role in mentoring, training, and fostering collaboration across regions.
