Sustainable Coastal Growth and Resilience – Second Edition (Asia-Pacific)

The Coastal Resilience School – Co-Growth Course. A fully online advanced course on coastal resilience designed for early-career professionals in the Asia-Pacific region.

  • Date:

    02 JUNE
    -
    11 AUGUST 2026
     

  • Event location: Online event

  • Type: Courses

Introduction

Following the strong success of its first edition, the Sustainable Coastal Growth and Resilience (Co-Growth) course returns with a second edition entirely delivered online and specifically designed to address the needs and priorities of the Asia-Pacific region.

The course offers an in-depth exploration of coastal resilience concepts that support sustainable development and help protect coastal communities and infrastructures from natural hazards and climate change impacts. Through five interconnected online modules and interactive learning activities, participants will gain the knowledge and tools needed to understand, assess, and strengthen resilience in coastal systems.

This second edition is jointly coordinated by several international partners committed to advancing capacity development in ocean science and coastal management:

The training contributes to the IOC Capacity Development Strategy (2023–2030) and supports the objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development by strengthening professional capacity in coastal resilience and sustainable coastal growth, while also responding to the strategic objective of the DCC-CR to promote equitable education for all.

 

Who is the Course For?

This course is designed for early-career ocean professionals and scientists seeking to strengthen their expertise in coastal resilience.

It is particularly intended for:

  • Early-career ocean scientists and professionals

  • Coastal managers and operators

  • Professionals working in coastal consulting firms

  • Staff from environmental protection or civil protection agencies

  • Researchers and technical staff involved in ocean science, marine services, and coastal management in the Asia-Pacific region

Priority will be given to applicants from institutions and organizations located in eligible Asia-Pacific countries.

Application Requirements

Educational and Professional Qualification

Applicants should meet one of the following criteria:

  • A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Environmental Sciences, Marine Biology, Coastal Engineering, Urban Planning, Political Science, International Affairs, Economics, Business, or related disciplines;

OR

  • At least five years of relevant professional experience in fields such as coastal management, environmental consulting, marine conservation, or urban planning.

Additional requirements include:

  • Professional affiliation with national or international ocean or marine-related institutions

  • Demonstrated proficiency in English (spoken and written)

Technical Requirements

Participants should have:

  • Basic computer skills and experience with digital learning environments

  • Experience with QGIS and Python programming (Jupyter notebooks) is recommended

Course Structure and Timeline

The course will run fully online from 2 June to 11 August 2026.

The training consists of approximately 70 hours of learning activities, combining:

  • self-paced learning modules

  • interactive discussions

  • collaborative activities

  • synchronous sessions with instructors and experts (strongly recommended but not mandatory)

Further details on the structure of the modules and weekly schedule will be published soon.

Course Content

The course is composed of five online modules:

  1. Overview of Coastal Resilience and its Importance for Business

  2. Understanding Coastal Hazards from Operational Oceanography Products

  3. Impact Assessment and Risk Management

  4. Enabling Technologies for Coastal Resilience

  5. Solutions for Coastal Resilience

The modules will be complemented by interactive discussions, case studies, and collaborative learning activities aimed at supporting knowledge exchange and practical application.

More detailed information on lectures and speakers will be available soon.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the fundamentals of coastal resilience and their implications for science-based services and operations

  • Utilize operational oceanography products for coastal hazard assessment

  • Apply enabling technologies to coastal resilience challenges

  • Develop practical resilience solutions for critical coastal infrastructure

  • Showcase innovative applied solutions through real-world coastal resilience projects

Course Coordinators

  • Yuntao Wang (SIO)

  • Nadia Pinardi (DCC-CR) 

  • Fangfang Wan (NMDIS)

  • Vassiliki Kourafalou DCC-CR)

Assessment & Certification

Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of:

  • All modules and lessons

  • Course assessments and assignments (minimum pass mark: 70%)

  • Pre- and post-course tests

  • Course feedback survey

Further certification details will be announced soon.

Application

Applications will open on 11 March 2026.

The deadline to apply is 26 March 2026 (23:59 CET).

Applications must be submitted through the OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) online application system.

Required documents include:

  • Curriculum Vitae

  • Proof of English proficiency

  • Statement of Purpose (approx. 1000 words)

Additional documentation may be requested during the selection process.

A limited number of seats will be available.

Costs

Participation in the course is free of charge.
There are no tuition fees.

Contacts

For questions related to the course or the application process, please contact:

OTGA Secretariat
ioc.training@unesco.org

(Please include the name of the course in the subject of the email.)

Further Information

Additional details on the course schedule, modules, lecturers, and learning activities will be published soon.

This page will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.

Submit your application