University of the Sunshine Coast

An Australian university on Queensland's tranquil Sunshine Coast is building a global reputation as a leader in the field of climate change education for international students.

Students from as far as Germany, Tanzania, Guyana, Kiribati and Indonesia are travelling to the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), located in Queensland’s south east corner, to learn how to tackle the greatest challenge facing the global community today.

USC’s Climate Change, Coasts and Catchments department, lead by Associate Professor in Environmental Science Peter Waterman, is recognised as the first in the world to provide fully-articulated programs in climate change adaptation that extend from undergraduate to postgraduate qualifications.

The various programs give international students the skills to identify areas vulnerable to climate change, such as coastal erosion, sea-level rise, drought, flood and health risks, and develop economically and environmentally viable strategies to reduce the impact.

Among the department’s impressive list of course coordinators is Adjunct Associate Professor Richard Warwick, of the International Global Change Institute at New Zealand’s University of Waikato. As a lead author in each of the United Nation’s four climate change assessment reports, Dr Warwick is a world renowned expert in the area.