How to steer towards sustainability at the landscape level? In the Northern part of the Netherlands lies the World Heritage Wadden Sea Region. Within this region, human and natural landscape development is strongly intertwined. The region has a strong drive towards sustainable development. Many questions are unresolved however. How to combine mass-tourism with a sensitive natural area? How can wind parks, power plants, natural gas extraction, fisheries and agriculture fit in? What role is there for cultural heritage and identity? How to combine competitive economic activities with utter stillness?
The Sustainable Landscapes team of the University of Groningen in cooperation with the Wadden Academy welcomes you to explore these issues, both theoretically and through experiencing the Wadden landscape from within. Join us for a five day sailing trip with lectures by leading experts. The lectures will show you scientific perspectives from different fields. We explore the themes of cultural heritage; coastal tourism; landscape stewardship; regional food production; sustainable enterpreneurship; and global bird flyways.
Each lecture is supported by cutting edge literature – which you can study in advance. In addition to the lectures, you will dive into socio-ecological modelling and social innovation. You and your 19 fellow participants will meet several stakeholders and .. you will be actively sailing the Wadden Sea!
Course leader
Frans Sijtsma – Faculty of Spatial Sciences
Wander Jager – University College Groningen
Target group
This course is developed for talented bachelor students, for master and research master students, PhD students and professionals in the field of spatial (landscape) planning, economics and business, landscape ecology, human geography and fields of interdisciplinary landscape studies.
It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.
Course aim
In a curriculum that unites critical reading, thinking, and discussion with hands-on experience, the participants:
- are familiarized with recent theories and methods of ecology (bird-migration), cultural landscapes, landscape stewardship, sustainable agriculture
- develop a keen perspective on the meaning of sustainability for the landscape
- learn to think across conventional boundaries between landscape, ecology and agriculture
Credits info: 3 EC
Upon successful completion of the program, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 84 hours (3 ECTS; 28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions; therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.
Fee info
EUR 450: € 450 Including the lectures, and five days and four overnight stays on board plus meals and drinks. The start and end of the boat trip is at the harbour of Lauwersoog. Travel to Lauwersoog is the participants own responsibility and is not included in the fee.
Scholarships: n/a
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.