Marine Spatial Planning Autumn School

Given that within the Built Environment LAB study programme’s students are working with concepts that are closely related to marine spatial planning (for example water resilience), the students attended the Marine Spatial Planning Autumn School. The trip was a beneficial knowledge addition and learning topic to the students. In addition to this, they got to experience an exciting cultural exchange through Irish culture in its best form, as well as meeting and interacting with lots of internationals. 

In this week students learned about what Marine Spatial Planning exactly is, how both humans and biodiversity have as much influence on its governance and explored different approaches of Marine Spatial Planning of several countries to realize it is in fact a very complex system. The students were delighted to have been able to be present at the parliament of Northern Ireland in Stormont.

During their stay in Belfast the group also got the chance to see and wander around the shipyards where the Titanic was being built, let alone interestingly enough exactly where it departed from. Instead of an iceberg the students got hit by heavy rain and a lot of wind during this tour.

By far the most amazing experience the group had was on Rathlin Island. This island could have come straight out of an English detective series with its beautiful landscape and harbourside town. The students gained an understanding of daily life on the island and how people want to exploit everything that is already on the island to expand its value and attract people. 

And when in Northern-Ireland one cannot leave without visiting at least one pub or maybe six. The students met some amazing locals, drank some pints of Guinness, sang along cheerful Irish folk songs, picked up the meaning of the word sláinte and how to encourage friends to chug a beer with a very catchy song.