By Dipak Bishwokarma

I have just finished my Master of Forestry (Research) at the Fenner School, which looked at environmental policy and climate change adaptation in least developed countries (LDCs) like my home country Nepal. 
I wanted my research to contribute to climate change policy integration (CPI) because there has not been much research in this area in Nepal and it’s an area where I can make a real contribution.

Nepal has three levels of governance – national, sub-national and community. My research shows that despite the economic and technological limitations found in LDCs like Nepal, there are great opportunities to use climate change policy integration as a tool for long-term success in climate change adaptation and sustainable development. The key to implementing CPI is to increase the ownership of CPI values in both ministries and departments associated with climate change (agriculture, forestry, foreign affairs, health etc), not just the Department of Environment.

Completing my Master degree at the Fenner School has really widened the possibilities of my future research and academic career. The learning environment, the multiple dimensions that the school covers, course content and flexibility, friendly and helpful staff, and the school community have all contributed to making my study at the Fenner School one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Before joining the Fenner School and after completing my Bachelor of Forestry degree in Nepal, I worked for the UN Development Programme and research NGO Forest Action. This experience helped confirm that forestry and forest science is the best career path for me. I chose ANU Fenner School over two other universities because of its excellent reputation and the many Nepalise alumni who have studied at the Fenner School. An ANU Master of Forestry has greatly improved my career prospects. I can now compete for my dream jobs, like becoming a primary manager or a lead researcher.