The Post-graduate Study Center of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka with the assistance of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Sri Lanka is about to launch its first Master’s degree programme covering Coastal Resources Economics and Management. The programme is designed to address a new and vital area of national impo犀利士 rtance – Resources economics for sustainable management of the coastal resources – a very effective management tool applied globally for managing natural resources. Prospective graduates will learn about the complexities and dynamics of marine and coastal environments, and of balancing the need for sustainable development with the needs of industry and the aspirations of coastal communities. The programme will draw on marine and costal resources, environment, community and uses, governance and management.

Particular focus will be placed on ecosystem valuation, natural capital accounting and; application of the latest conceptual frameworks for ecosystem valuation such as SEEA, nature-based solutions such as payment for ecosystem services (PES), Natural Resources Damage Assessments and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) in dealing with natural capital and sustainable management of coastal and nearshore marine resources.

The importance as well as the absence of above elements in our monitoring, data collection and analytical frameworks was highlighted during the aftermath of some of the more recent maritime disasters such as the burning of Express Pearl and oil spill from the tanker Blue Diamond. Sri Lanka has still not being able to claim adequate compensation for such disasters due to a lack of data and information on coastal natural capital.

This is a two-year programme designed in accordance with the SLQF (Sri Lanka Qualification Framework) of the Higher Education Ministry of Sri Lanka. The programme will consist of lectures, practical’s, analyses of case studies, field visits and a research project relevant to the subject area. This will provide students with an opportunity to critically analyze how coastal and marine systems function, are being managed and conserved and assess plans and policies meant to ensure their long-term sustainability, in Sri Lanka and beyond. This MSc programme target graduates of Science, Geography, related Natural, Environmental, and Social Sciences, who are interested in advancing their knowledge and skills for future career development, as well as professionals in the Government and non-governmental institutes, which are mandatory and responsible for conservation and management of the coastal area. The training provided by this course will qualify them to be competent professionals with high demand in the sector.

The ultimate goal of the proposed MSc degree programme in Coastal and Marine Resources Economics and Management is to produce academically sound and professionally qualified and competent personnel. Such personnel are expected to be employed in managerial level, administrator level and policy maker level in the government, semi government and private sectors; to positively contribute to the sustainable development of the coastal and marine resources of Sri Lanka .