CEN Academy 2023 | A free residential course for young conservative environmentalists

We are delighted to announce applications are now open for our second Conservative Environment Network (CEN) Academy this August for students and recent graduates passionate about conservative environmentalism.

The CEN Academy is a three-day residential course which offers attendees a chance to learn about environmental policy debates and conservative, market-led solutions. It will cover topical issues such as how to restore nature, how to build more clean and secure energy, and how the global centre-right can cooperate to protect our planet.

Each session will be led by members of the CEN team, and guest speakers will include CEN MPs and environmental experts. There will also be a visit to see nature restoration in action at RSPB Otmoor. In addition to learning about environmental policy, attendees will gain skills useful for a career in politics, such as handling the media and developing public policy.

The CEN Academy will take place in Oxford from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 August 2023. It is free to attend, and attendees' accommodation and meals will be covered.

Attendees are expected to fund their own travel to and from the venue. However, there are travel bursaries available if travel costs would prevent potential applicants from applying.

Applications will close at midday on Wednesday 7 June.

If you would like to find out more about conservative environmentalism and feed this into your application, please refer to the suggested reading below.

Essay collections: Green Albion essay collection; Net Zero Northern Powerhouse essay collection; North Sea Transition essay collection

CEN manifestos: Changing course: A manifesto for our rivers, seas, and waterways, ​

Taking flight: A policy route to achieving jet zero

Other: CEN media pieces; CEN blog posts

Ways to get involved in CEN:

If you are not already a CEN supporter, you can sign up for free here.

You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to stay up to date with CEN’s work.

Testimonials from last year's Academy attendees:

"The inaugural CEN Academy in 2022 was a great chance for me to further my knowledge of the conservative environmental debate and meet with like-minded young conservative environmentalists. The Academy was more than just the learning though - the sessions such as the Dragons Den panel were a chance to work in a team, formulate an idea and argue the case. Meeting with a DEFRA Minister and going on a local field trip were great chances to see environmentalism at work, outside of the classroom. Having been introduced to CEN at the Academy and the great work that is being done, I'm pleased to now work in CEN's Climate Team." 

- Sam Payne, CEN Academy 2022 attendee and Climate Programme Manager at CEN as of April 2023

"The CEN Academy was an incredible experience which provided me with an excellent grounding in conservative environmentalism. The team dispelled any nervousness and made me feel very welcome as soon as I stepped onto the campus, and I made lots of friends from all across the country that I’m still in contact with today. The timetable was finely tuned and the talks and workshops covered a breadth of fascinating topics. Overall, the CEN Academy is a marvellous opportunity that I will always reflect fondly upon. I can’t recommend applying enough." 

- Josef Webster, CEN Academy 2022 attendee

"I really enjoyed the CEN Academy. I loved staying in the Oxford college and also having the opportunity to explore the local area as well. I really enjoyed the talks and tasks regarding energy policy and biodiversity. I loved getting to meet fellow YCs and also fellow YCs who are passionate about the environment."

- Aditya Sabnis, CEN Academy 2022 attendee

"CEN academy was lovely couple of days for me. It's a great chance to meet people from across the country, discover some of the less talked aspects of the fight against climate change, and hear from some of the cogs that keep government turning. But most importantly, it's good fun, though perhaps don't make any big plans to go clubbing whilst you're there..."

- Jason Yan, CEN Academy 2022 attendee

"My time at the inaugural CEN Academy in 2022 not only introduced me to themes in climate policy and communication, but it also allowed me to deeply engage in these themes with colleagues through discussions, policy pitches, presentations and excursions. I left the Academy more confident of my professional abilities and ready to begin my MA and career in political communication, while making some new connections along the way. I couldn't recommend CEN's Academy enough!"

- Oliver Gibson, CEN Academy 2022 attendee