2008 Summer Institute in Advanced Coastal Management
June 9 - 27, 2008


This course will represent a turning point in my career.
Everything has come together like a puzzle and given me a new perception of what coastal management is all about. Its a very valuable experience.
- Summer Institute alumnus
 
What is the Summer Institute?
The Summer Institute in Advanced Coastal Management is an intensive three-week program for coastal resources management professionals. The Coastal Resources Center (CRC) at the University of Rhode Island has been offering an intermediate version of this course biannually since 1992, and now has over 200 alumni working in 60 countries. The program provides mid-career professionals with a unique opportunity to understand emerging issues, learn about best practices, and gain practical skills to help them design, implement, and evaluate integrated coastal management (ICM) programs. The format of the Summer Institute provides ample opportunities to share experiences and reflect on future challenges with peers from around the world.
 
An emphasis is placed on effective planning, governance issues and implementation  challenges. The Summer Institute Advanced Program provides advanced training in professional skills that are essential to the successful coastal manager leadership, communication, group facilitation, conflict resolution, systems analysis and program evaluation. Sessions include lectures, field exercises, small group work, panels, simulations and case studies. The approach draws extensively upon each participants experience and education. The final week of the course is focused on helping participants apply their new insights and skills to a challenge faced in their current professional work or to prepare for a new leadership role.

Why an Advanced Coastal Management Course?
 
The Advanced Course emphasizes:

  • Design and analysis of governance frameworks for ICM
  • Linking social and ecological factors through systems thinking and modeling
  • Building community resilience to natural hazards
  • Effects of mariculture, tourism and shorefront construction on habitats, hazards and water quality
  • Incorporating equity into ICM
  • Linking local-level program initiatives with national-level policy development

Professional skills-building sessions include:

  • Leadership styles and personal performance
  • Clear, persuasive communication
  • Multi-stakeholder conflict resolution
  • Group dynamics, effective policy networks and creating social capital

Leaders of the Advanced Course
Program instructors are drawn from coastal management practitioners at CRC as well as faculty from URI and other partner universities. CRC has multiple field sites in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the U.S. to provide current case materials.
 
Practitioner-trainers from CRC include its director, Stephen Olsen, as well as training program leader Virginia Lee and coastal specialist Don Robadue, who have worked together for more than 30 years in the United States and internationally. The program also includes international guest speakers from universities, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the private sector.
 
This program is for individuals who are actively engaged in the field of coastal management or whose work is increasingly affected by the particular issues faced by coastal development.
 
This includes:

  • Professionals in natural resources, fisheries, hazards and the corporate sector
  • University lecturers, researchers and graduate students with extensive applied experience
  • Staff from non-governmental organizations addressing community development and the environment
  • Project managers in development organizations and regional development banks
  • Alumni of past intermediate Summer Institutes who are ready for an advanced program

Participants have substantial professional experience and a diversity of educational backgrounds to draw from for sharing and learning in the course. All have good proficiency in English and are comfortable in engaging in class discussions.
 
How will YOU benefit from the Advanced Course?
The Advanced Course allows personalizing content to meet your learning needs and provides valuable and constructive feedback from peers and faculty. The course exposes you to advanced thinking and creative ideas emerging from coastal programs around the
world. This is a rare opportunity for reflection, learning, networking and access to leading coastal management thinkers and practitioners.
 
Benefits

  • Learn from experienced practitioners from CRC and other leaders from around the world
  • Enhance capacity to perform technical elements of your job
  • Earn credit towards the ICM Certification Program
  • Improve your professional skills

CRC Alumni Network

  • Gain access to CRCs global network of professionals
  • Receive mentoring as you apply your learning pact project
  • Engage in timely discussions on current issues
  • Find and share good practices and case studies in the field of ICM
  • Discover small grants funding opportunities

Program Venue, Accommodations and Funding
The Summer Institute Advanced Course is held at the campuses of the University of Rhode Island. Participants stay in a comfortable residence on the Kingston campus and have access to a wide range of facilities. Much of the class work takes place on the Bay Campus conference facilities overlooking Narragansett Bay. URI is located less than 2 hours from Boston and about 3 hours from New York City and is served by train and bus service.
 
Services and Costs
OPTION 1: Course Only
Program Fee: US $5,000. This covers the cost of tuition, meals, housing, field trips, reading materials, special events, and limited health and accident insurance (if needed). Fees do not cover personal expenses or the cost of travel to and from Rhode Island.
 
OPTION 2: Course and Mentoring
Program Fee: US $6,000. This covers the costs in Option 1 plus post course mentoring to assist you in applying your new skills and knowledge to your work.
 
For application information, please contact:
Kim Kaine
Coastal Resources Center
E-mail: kkaine@crc.uri.edu
Telephone: (401) 874-6823

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