Opening ceremony of the NORHED Master s Program

On April 25th, 2015, Nha Trang University proudly organized the opening ceremony for the international master program in Marine Ecosystem Based Management and Climate Change. This is a component of the NORHED project sponsored by the Norwegian government. Nha Trang University, in cooperation with its main partners in the project including University of Tromso and University of Bergen (Norway) University of Ruhuna (Sri Lanka) and some affiliated well-known universities (Auburn University, USA; Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia and others in Asia Pacific), officially launched this master s degree program taught in English and the diploma is granted by Nha Trang University.

There is increasing awareness of the devastation of climate change incidence due to recent environmental disasters noted in Vietnam and other neighboring Asian countries. Vietnam is one of the Asian countries most affected by climate change. The country s 10 most vulnerable provinces are among the top 25% most susceptible regions in South East Asia. The program, thus, seeks to provide graduate students with knowledge and unique educational experience of the effects of climate change on aquaculture and fisheries. Students study in English and receive solid training in Ecosystems Management, Risk Management, Climatic Adaptation, Conflicts in Fisheries and Marine Policy, etc.

The first co-hort includes 16 students from Sri Lanka, Liberia, Cambodia and Vietnam. NORHED provides 6 full scholarships to students who are staff of selected institutions or members of marginalized or underrepresented groups. Announcement for the next co-hort (starting in January 2016) will be releaseed soon.