Semester 1 2024 Application Form
Some efforts to improve the world can be much more impactful than others. Smallpox eradication, the abolitionist movement, germ theory, and the Green Revolution demonstrate what's possible when people come together to solve pressing problems. But these opportunities to do good are few and far between. At the other end of the spectrum, many well-intended initiatives are ineffective or even counterproductive. Doing good better is one of the defining challenges of our time.
To help students achieve this aim, Effective Altruism UniMelb is offering the Effective Altruism Scholars Program, a short course on how to have the greatest positive impact you can. In the program, you'll read a selection of targeted readings, each week focusing on a different topic: from global poverty, to animal welfare, to the far reaching consequences of future technologies. Each week of content is coupled with a guided discussion, where you and a small group of students will explore fundamental questions, engage more deeply with the content, and share your own perspectives.
The program is a roughly 2 hour time commitment per week: 1 hour of reading, plus 1 hour for discussion.
Discussion sessions will typically be held on campus, but we may also run some online if there is sufficient demand.