Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS)
Overview
SCCS celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2026. It is an annual conference specifically aimed at students at the very start of their conservation careers, connecting thousands of early-career conservationists from around the world who are committed to tackling the global biodiversity crisis.
SCCS is a flagship initiative of the Conservation Research Institute, delivered in partnership with the Tropical Biology Association and other supporting organisations.
Building Conservation Skills and Networks
Unlike traditional academic conferences, students deliver the majority of talks, while workshops, exhibits and field trips build practical and professional skills that participants take back to their home institutions and workplaces.
Thanks to the generosity of funders and the dedication of volunteers, SCCS has welcomed more than 4,000 early-career conservationists from 142 countries to Cambridge over the past 25 years.
Travel and accommodation grants are a core part of the programme, ensuring financial barriers do not prevent talented students — particularly those from biodiversity-rich but under-resourced regions — from taking part.
Impact
SCCS creates a global community of emerging conservation leaders, providing students with the opportunity to share ideas, learn from one another and develop the skills and connections needed to address biodiversity challenges.
“We focus our entire event on students because they're the ones who have new ideas about how to approach biodiversity conservation. They already have solutions, they can learn from each other, and as a community they can tackle our greatest biodiversity challenges.”
— Professor Andrew Balmford, CRI Academic and SCCS organiser