Foundations of Sustainable Coastal Communities
- Autumn 2026
About the course
This course introduces the core concepts, challenges, and opportunities in northern coastal communities and sustainable development. Using Isafjörður as a primary case study, students will explore the complex interconnections between a community's economic and political structures, infrastructure, and its surrounding environmental systems. The course is primarily taught by practitioners and stakeholders in the Westfjords region. Students will analyze why these regions are critically important and what primary challenges—from infrastructure challenges to economic shifts—they must navigate in the coming decades.
Learning outcome
On completion of the course a student:
- can define the core concepts, challenges, and opportunities in sustainability in northern coastal communities
- understands the diverse interests and challenges faced by stakeholders in a coastal community
- apply lessons from Isafjörður's development to assess challenges and opportunities in other coastal communities
can present primary challenges (e.g. climate change, infrastructure finance, etc) in both written and spoken presentation