EDUCOAST Summer Course: a Real-World Immersive Educational Experience.

The acquisition of a formal postgraduate education, such as a Master's or Doctoral degree, is of significant importance for students aiming to deepen their knowledge and contribute to their respective fields. However, the difficulties associated with the incorporating real-world field activities into formal postgraduate education can be a substantial limitation. For example, this deficiency may impede the development of practical skills, hinder the ability to cope with real-world challenges, and limit the understanding of how theoretical concepts manifest themselves in real field conditions a key issue in geoscience training and practice.

Summer courses, as ideal co-curricular activities, have the potential to complement formal education by providing practical experiences that extend beyond theoretical knowledge. This is the case of the EDUCOAST summer course, funded by EEAGrants, which took place from September 10 to 16, 2023, and focused on "Coastal Geosystem Services – the Ria Formosa case study". This specialized program aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice, providing 17 master and PhD students in geosciences with hands-on training.

The course, held at IPMA’s Tavira Station (Algarve, Portugal) provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage in "hands-on" training, focusing on changing coastal environments from a geoscientific perspective. The curriculum included state-of-the-art field and lab equipment and techniques.

During the course, participants conducted in-situ observations, collected and analyzed data to evaluate barrier island resilience and address carbon sequestration by salt marshes. The course also addressed the societal impact of coastal dynamics, considering both past and future trends. This immersive approach allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world coastal environments, fostering the collection of first-hand data and observations.

The EDUCOAST summer course successfully enhanced the participants' practical skills and problem-solving abilities. By engaging in field activities, students gained a comprehensive understanding of coastal dynamics, contributing to their readiness to face the challenges and opportunities of coastal and marine environments.

Programs that effectively bridge the gap between academia and the real world, such as EDUCOAST, play a crucial role in preparing graduates for the complexities of their professional journeys. The positive outcomes of the summer school suggest that hands-on activities in geosciences can significantly complement students' curricula, enhance their understanding of natural processes and foster a holistic approach to their education.

This is a contribution of the EDUCOAST (EEAGrants, PT-INNOVATION-0067) and EMSO-PT (PINFRA/22157/2016) projects.

This work was funded by the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) I.P./MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC) – UIDB/50019/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/50019/2020), UIDP/50019/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/50019/2020) and LA/P/ 0068/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0068/2020)