PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Coastal Resilience Short Course
Course Date: 2-3 June 2025
Course Location: Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus Building G42 Function Room 4th Floor
Course Timings: 9 am to 5 pm
Cost:
In person: $1,050+GST or Online: $510+GST
(booked via the conference registration form, however, if booking the course only please email amy@eastcoastconferences.com.au for a separate form)
The Coastal Resilience Short Course at Griffith University provides professionals with the knowledge and practical skills needed to address coastal hazards, climate risks, and adaptation strategies in a changing environment. Designed for government officials, planners, engineers, environmental consultants, and decision-makers, this course equips participants with the latest science, tools, and frameworks for building resilient coastal communities. Through a combination of expert-led lectures, case studies, and interactive workshops, participants explore key topics such as coastal erosion, sea-level rise, extreme weather events, nature-based solutions, and policy approaches to adaptation. The course integrates real-world examples, hands-on GIS applications, and climate risk assessments to provide actionable insights. Delivered in a flexible format, the Coastal Resilience Short Course allows both online and in-person participation, allowing participants to engage with leading researchers and industry practitioners while applying concepts to their own professional contexts. Participants gain practical experience in identifying risks, designing adaptation measures and resilience strategies that align with environmental, economic, and social considerations. This course is essential for professionals looking to enhance their ability to navigate coastal challenges, influence policy, and contribute to sustainable coastal management in the face of increasing climate impacts.
Secure your place today as seats are limited and filling quickly.
Additional Information can be found at https://www.griffith.edu.au/coastal-marine-research-centre/learning-opportunities/coastal-resilience
The Art and Science of Engaging Communities in Coastal Adaptation: Real people, engaged through successful strategies
Date: Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Location: Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus
Time: 1.30pm – 5.00pm
Cost: $93.50 (booked via the conference registration form, however, if booking the pre-conference workshop only please email amy@eastcoastconferences.com.au for a separate form)
Please contact Dr Kathleen Broderick via: kathleen@broderickandassociates.com.au if you have any additional questions.
The work of those involved in community engagement is as much art as science and designing engagement requires an approach tailored to the local context. Through a review of the CoastAdapt community engagement manual, a panel comprised of local government managers, consultants and academics across Australia and New Zealand shared their experiences and expertise. This process revealed stories and case studies of leading practice that will provide inspiration to novice and experienced coastal managers.
Adopting a social learning approach and working through a six-step cycle will enable strategic action. But that’s just the mechanics of it. Adopting a creative approach to design of engagement processes and actions can deliver powerful results through effectively engaging with current community leaders and activities, planning for and communicating a variety of opportunities for consultation throughout the adaptation journey, and ensuring the process engages both with ‘rationality and human emotions and feelings’ (Coyne 2005). Thoughtfully seeking opportunities for participants to express challenging concepts and values creatively can engage and provide meaningful interaction.
Importantly, viewing coastal adaptation as part of complex systems change where progress is not necessarily linear, requires viewing both social and coastal systems as an integrated whole and creatively exploring opportunities for change.
Workshop outcomes: Participants will:
- gain insights into the changing nature of coastal communities
- experience case examples of successful creative coastal engagement techniques
- be provided with practical and effective techniques to engage and processes to facilitate adaptation
Who should attend: Coastal managers and engagement practitioners and others who want to better understand and plan for effective engagement
For additional information including the agenda please download the workshop PDF document.