The Inter-Policy School Summit 2017 was a joint three-day event with the Harris student body, the International Innovation Corps (IIC), the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The three institutions carefully selected a policy issue that drew on one of the research projects of the IIC implemented in the Brazilian Amazon: the legal recognition of indigenous lands in Brazil. The key questions that were tackled and answered during the Summit were based on the policy brief recommendations presented by the IIC Fellows. Each question was assigned to a team of no more than 6 students, whom were carefully selected based on their skills and policy interests through an application process. Here are two example questions the teams had to work on:  ​

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The chosen policy issue discussed during the event required an interdisciplinary approach: conflict resolution, climate change and sustainable development. Legal recognition of indigenous lands is a global problem that is not particular to the Amazonian area; it also extends to many different countries around the world where colonization and industrialization changed the use and appropriation of the land. 

During the whole event, we had representatives from all three partner institutions (UNDP, IIC and IPAM) whose main role was to assist the teams work by answering project specific and technical questions. On the final working day, each team presented their final proposals. A session of Q&A’s from the three organizations representatives followed each presentation. All of this material was transmitted back to the organizations so they could use what they found interesting back on the field in Brazil.