Professional Certificate in Climate-Smart Policy and Innovation for Caribbean Development

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Are you a mid- to senior-level professional in a decision-making role within a government agency, quasi-government institution, or business support organization in one of the 13 Compete Caribbean beneficiary countries?
 

If so, this specialized professional certificate program is designed for you.

Join a practical learning experience created to strengthen the capacity of professionals across the Caribbean to design and implement effective strategies and policies that support climate adaptation and mitigation in the private sector.

The Professional Certificate in Climate-Smart Policy and Innovation for Caribbean Development is offered by Compete Caribbean+ in partnership with The University of the West Indies (UWI)-Mona Campus, Climate Studies Group Mona and The George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies.
 

What you will gain

• A stronger understanding of climate change and its implications for Caribbean businesses and economic development
• Greater ability to identify climate-related risks and opportunities within your sector
• Practical strategies for adaptation, resilience, sustainable business practices, and climate-smart growth
• Tools to integrate climate considerations into planning, policy, operations, and financing
• Insights from regional experts, academics, and private sector professionals
• A capstone project that applies learning to a real-world challenge in your country, sector, or organization
• Access to a growing network of professionals advancing climate-smart development in the Caribbean

Through active participation, this collaborative learning environment will strengthen both knowledge exchange and professional networking.
 

Who is eligible

This specialized training course is intended for mid- to senior-level professionals in decision-making or advisory roles within government agencies, quasi-government entities, and business support organizations across the Compete Caribbean beneficiary countries.

Eligible participants should be actively involved in shaping, influencing, or implementing policies, programs, and strategies that can help advance climate adaptation and mitigation in the Caribbean private sector. Through this course, participants will strengthen their ability to design and support effective policy and strategic responses that build private sector resilience and climate action across the region.

This may include:

• Policymakers and senior officers from government ministries and departments working in areas related to climate change, economic development, environment, energy, trade, and industry
• Leaders and technical specialists working in regional development organizations and quasi-government agencies, including statutory bodies, regulatory agencies, national and local government authorities, boards, bureaus, and trusts
• Implementers working in business support organizations, chambers of commerce, and professional associations
   

What the course will cover

This course is delivered through an interactive digital learning format designed for working professionals. Participants will engage in a series of modules designed to progressively build climate knowledge and practical skills. 

The course structure consists of six (6) modules combining theoretical foundations with practical application through Caribbean-specific case studies, regional climate science data, and interactive peer learning exercises. The culminating capstone project requires participants to develop concrete, implementable policy reforms or programmatic interventions for their home countries and sectors.

Format: Virtual (Online)
Language: English
Duration: 8 Weeks - June 1 through July 27, 2026
Cost: Free of Charge

Each module will consist of the following components, requiring a commitment of about 5-7 hours per week:

Core Lecture (1.5 hours live + recorded)
Guest Lecture (1.5 hours live + recorded)
Core Readings (1-2 hours)
Written Assignment (1-2 hours)

View each module below for further details and dates:
 

Course Schedule

Module 1: Climate Risk in the Caribbean – Impacts on Key Sectors and Destinations (Week 1)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Tuesday, June 2, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Thursday, June 4, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Written Assignment Due: Monday, June 15, 2026

This module examines the historical and future climate change for the Caribbean and implications for some key sectors in the region (tourism, agriculture, energy, transport). The module provides the fundamental climate science underpinning the region’s response to global and regional change. The discourse will enable a fundamental understanding of the manifestations of climate change in the region, and the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors, while integrating disaster risk management efforts to reduce the region’s existing vulnerabilities. The discussions will ensure climate action is informed by a robust understanding of the drivers of global and regional climate change, how these changes manifest in the region, their impacts on key sectors, and the urgent need for climate smart, innovative, and data driven responses with appropriate climate policies and financing.

Module 2: Enabling Green Innovation Across the Public and Private Sectors (Week 2)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Tuesday, June 9, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Thursday, June 11, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Written Assignment Due: Monday, June 22, 2026

This module equips policymakers and practitioners with practical tools to foster innovation ecosystems that support climate-smart, inclusive, and competitive economic transformation across the Caribbean. As a core component of the certificate program, it connects policy design with private sector implementation and highlights how coordinated action among governments, firms, and research institutions can advance sustainable growth in line with regional priorities promoted by CARICOM, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, and other development partners. Participants will build an understanding of green innovation and its four main areas across the public and private sectors, identify enabling policies and conditions for green innovation, develop more gender-responsive and inclusive innovation strategies, and learn how to design coordinated interventions that reduce barriers to innovation, support entrepreneurship, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.

Module 3: Designing Climate-Smart Public Policy and Institutional Mechanisms (Week 3)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Tuesday, June 16, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Thursday, June 18, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Written Assignment Due: Monday, June 29, 2026

This module introduces participants to the concept of climate-smart public policy and how it can help Caribbean countries move from reactive responses to more proactive and resilient approaches to climate change. As a core component of the certificate program, it explores how public policy can better align domestic priorities with international commitments, strengthen coherence across sectors, and support tailored responses for small island developing states. Participants will examine how climate considerations can be integrated into policy areas such as health, transport, agriculture, energy, ocean resource management, renewable energy, tourism, and infrastructure, while also exploring institutional and financial mechanisms that can reduce risk and improve preparedness, including parametric insurance, sovereign wealth funds, and disaster clauses in sovereign debt instruments. Through this module, participants will gain practical insight into how stronger policy design and institutional mechanisms can help advance sustainable development and improve responses to climate-related challenges across Caribbean economies.

MID-COURSE BREAK (Week 4)

Week of June 22. Mid-course break week is reserved for a break and/or to catch up on previous modules.

Module 4: Financing Green Transitions and Public-Private Partnerships (Week 5)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Thursday, July 2, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Friday, July 3, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Written Assignment Due: Monday, July 13, 2026

This module provides a comprehensive analysis of the climate finance landscape and the strategic use of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive the Caribbean’s green transition. As the fourth module of the course, it transitions participants from policy design to the practical mobilization of capital required to address the region's climate finance needs. This content is vital for regional stakeholders namely government and the private sector who must navigate complex funding sources—including global climate funds (such as the GCF and GEF), multilateral development banks (such as the IDB, WB, and CDB), and private sector instruments (such as green bonds and carbon credits). By focusing on inclusive financing, robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks, and the development of a bankable financing concept note, the module directly supports Compete Caribbean+ (CC+) priorities of mainstreaming climate action into private sector development and serves as a technical foundation for the final certificate capstone.

Module 5: Tools for Adaptation, Resilience, Implementation, and Monitoring in the Public Sector (Week 6)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Tuesday, July 7, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Thursday, July 9, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Written Assignment Due: Monday, July 20, 2026

This module bridges the gap between policy design (Module 3) and financial structuring (Module 4) by focusing on the technical and operational toolsets required for execution. While previous modules established the "why" and "what," Module 5 provides the "how." It equips Caribbean policymakers and private sector practitioners with specific instruments ranging from digital risk screening tools to operationalize resilience within public sector workflows. The module is structured around a framework of tools organized around five functions: risk assessment, adaptation planning, decision-support, implementation and delivery, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). Special attention is given to how these tools integrate across the public-private partnership (PPP) project lifecycle, from project identification through contract management. For Caribbean SIDS, where administrative capacity and high-resolution climate data are often limited, selecting the "right-sized" tool is critical. The module directly addresses the need to move from policy commitments to tangible outcomes, ensuring that climate resilience is embedded across sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, and urban development.

Module 6: From Ideas to Action – Capstone Development and Peer Review (Week 7)

Core Lecture (Day 1): Tuesday, July 14, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Guest Lecture & Applied Case (Day 2): Thursday, July 16, 2026; 1.5 hours live + recorded
Capstone Due: Monday, July 27, 2026

This capstone module is the culminating course of the certificate program. It supports participants in drawing on the climate risk, innovation, policy, financing, and implementation content covered in Modules 1–5 to shape a practical project concept for their country or sector. It focuses on turning concepts and analysis into action through results-oriented, inclusive, and feasible project design. By the end of the module, participants will have developed a concise, funder-ready concept aligned with national and local priorities for climate-smart innovation, resilience, competitiveness, and institutional strengthening.

FINAL WEEK (Week 8)

Week of July 20. Final week is reserved for completion of the capstone project and any remaining coursework.

What you will receive

Successful participants will receive a Professional Certificate in Climate-Smart Policy and Innovation for Caribbean Development jointly from The George Washington University School of Business and The University of the West Indies (UWI)-Mona Campus, a globally recognized credential that enhances their professional standing and capacity to drive climate resilience and inclusive economic growth throughout the Caribbean region.
 

How to apply

Submit the Call for Participants Form by Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Only fully completed applications will be considered.

Applications will be reviewed based on eligibility, relevant professional experience, and overall fit for the course. The selection process will also aim to build a strong and diverse cohort from across the 13 Caribbean countries eligible for Compete Caribbean programming.

Invitations to selected participants will be sent starting around mid-May, and the final cohort will be confirmed by the end of the month (all applicants will receive an update on the status of their application by this time).
 

SUBMIT THE CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS FORM | Deadline: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM AST 

Submit the Call for Participants Form  The application period has closed.

For more information about the program, please access a recording of the informational webinar (held on April 22, 2026) below:

Watch the Informational Webinar  

If you have any questions about the program, please email us at iitsgwu [dot] edu (iits[at]gwu[dot]edu).