Here below you can find all master courses the University Centre offers. All courses are taught in 1-3 week modules running from August through June. See how the courses are organised in the teaching schedule for both programs. Usually 2-3 courses are taught at the same time, but students may only enroll in one course at a time.
The master courses are available to you whether you plan to pursue a degree or just take a course or courses. Please review the options for guest studies to determine how you can apply.
For further information, contact the Administrative Director of Education and Teaching.
People and the Sea: Systems Thinking for Coastal Communities
- Autumn 2026
- Instructor: Dr. Eduard Nedelciu
About the course
The course introduces systems thinking as a methodology to understand and provide solutions to sustainability challenges faced by coastal communities. These challenges range from global ones, such as climate change and ocean acidification, to local and regional ones, such as biodiversity loss, securing energy supply, connecting remote communities, or gentrification. Systems thinking offers a theoretical framework and methodological toolbox for understanding and addressing the complexity of these challenges. It facilitates the identification of leverage points of intervention for meaningful change, the anticipation of long-term consequences, and the design of strategies that support resilient and adaptive transitions. Rather than viewing problems in isolation, this approach considers them as part of a broader, interconnected system where social, environmental, and economic factors interact across local, regional, and global scales. Throughout the course, students are introduced to systems thinking theory, and familiarized with key systems thinking tools, such as behaviour over time graphs, bull's eye diagrams, feedback loops, delays, causal loop diagrams, and leverage points. Various field trips provide the opportunity to apply a systems thinking methodology on real-life situations, while regional development challenges discussed in class offer more theoretical case studies.
Instructor
Ed Nedelciu holds a PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from the University of Iceland and Stockholm University. His research focus is on sustainable natural resource management and the economic transition in the context of sustainability transformations. He is part of the SEAS postdoctoral programme on marine sustainability at the University of Bergen. In his postdoctoral project, Ed uses systems thinking and ecological economics theory to analyze the emergence of deep-sea mining, and its implication for policy-making, governance, and academia. He also teaches systems thinking and system dynamics modelling at the University of Iceland and the University of Bergen.
Learning outcome
On completion of the course a student:
- has a good understanding of the key concepts of systems thinking theory
- can relate geographical perspectives to coastal communities
- can distinguish between linear and systemic approaches to problem-solving.
- can use systems thinking tools for analysing coastal regions and development in coastal communities.
- can understand and explain challenges in regional development from the perspective of different stakeholders.
- has good skills in reading and writing sections of scientific papers on development and sustainability aspects of coastal communities and regions.