Vaibhav Pramode Nair

Vaibhav is currently in the third year of his Sustainability and Environmental Management BSc. Notably, in 2023, he became the first ever Youth Delegate to the UN Climate Talks at COP28 UAE. Here, he talks about his course and how he’s found his time at the University of Leeds so far.

Why Leeds university?

Vaibhav wanted to attend a university which offered him “holistic training in my field of interest, sustainability/ the environment, and not a siloed, theory-based approach. I also wanted to attend one of the best universities in the world that offered such an experience with an excellent track record of offering such a course.” 

The university is highly rated globally for delivering research and education on sustainability and the environment.

He did plenty of research on liveability while deciding on which universities to apply to and found that Leeds “is an ideal city to live in as an international student, and that the university is highly rated globally for delivering research and education on sustainability and the environment. Hence, it was my top pick.”

Speaking further on the city of Leeds itself, he says “The city and its people are famous for being culturally warm and welcoming, and that is reflected everywhere from the Esther Simpson seminar room to the Kirkgate marketplace.”

“I love that the options for quality food are endless, and there is a vibrant student community always keeping the city buzzing.”

An inspiring course

Vaibhav explains that studying Sustainability and Environmental Management gives him a “sense of agency” to tackle the climate crisis and to prevent the planet from “spiralling into an irreversible climate catastrophe”.

My course does a good job at ensuring that by the end of the degree, students have the most relevant skill set to drive this green transition.

His professors inspire the cohort to not only “act innovatively but to provide tools and important avenues to do so alongside our academic journey.”

Vaibhav highlights that there’s a “Green skills gap”, which is a hot topic in the corporate world, and feels that the course “does a good job at ensuring that by the end of the degree, students have the most relevant skill set to drive this green transition.” 

Course highlights

For Vaibhav, a general highlight of his course has been how many doors it’s opened to him professionally and how valuable this will be in applying himself to a future career in sustainability once he’s graduated. He notes the unique networks he’s gained access to “many a time by virtue of being a student at the University of Leeds” and through his efforts to utilise opportunities to collaborate with other institutions.

I have been able to conduct original qualitative and quantitative research into various sub-fields within sustainability, including natural flood management, urban resilience and disaster management.

Speaking about some specific projects, he relates that “As part of research modules on my course, I have been able to conduct original qualitative and quantitative research into various sub-fields within sustainability, including natural flood management, urban resilience and disaster management.

“More recently, I had the chance to complete a team consultancy project with an agricultural contracting company in Yorkshire as part of a business sustainability module, which was a valuable experience.” 

Vaibhav explains that these projects have helped enhance his research skills and have also improved his time and project management skills. 

The Priestley Centre and COP28

Vaibhav has been very involved with the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at Leeds University. He explains that “As part of this, I was asked by the centre's UNFCCC Task Force to represent the university as the first ever Youth Delegate to the UN Climate Talks at COP28 UAE in December 2023.”

I was asked by the centre's UNFCCC Task Force to represent the university as the first ever Youth Delegate to the UN Climate Talks at COP28 UAE in December 2023.

“It was a real honour to be given this responsibility, and I am glad I was able to execute my duties in this capacity at both COP28 in Dubai and more recently at SB60 as a representative to the June Climate Meetings in Bonn, Germany.”

Future ambitions

Vaibhav’s placement year in India with Conscious Planet started in September 2024. While here, he’s working on sustainable land management policy, and collaborating with several UN agencies and governments to ensure soil health is enshrined in legally binding national and international policy. In the lead up to his engagements at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan as Lead Youth Representative at Conscious Planet, he is presently spearheading partnerships with prominent youth organisations working on aspects of food systems transformation globally.

He considers his experiences at Leeds so far, remarking that all of them will, in some way, contribute to his career and that “they all add to my ability to thrive in the future”. 

Advice to future students

“Please take up as many opportunities as you can with the plethora of resources available to you at university. BSc Sustainability and Environmental Management as a course is designed to allow sufficient time for students to take up great things outside the lecture theatre, and it is fully up to you what you make out of your time here.”

Please take up as many opportunities as you can with the plethora of resources available to you at university.

He continues, “I encourage you to set aside any apprehensions you may have about what young people can or should do at university. The only things you will regret are the things you did not do.” 

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To find out more about studying in the School of Earth and Environment view our Postgraduate courses.