Highland to Ocean - H2O Summer Course Strengthens EU–ASEAN Collaboration for a Sustainable Blue Economy
The H2O Summer Course: Building Resilience Highland to Ocean (H2O): The Role of Nature-Based Solutions in Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy officially concluded on Tidung Island, one of Indonesia's Thousand Islands, on 12 July 2026, marking the end of an eleven-day programme that brought together students, researchers, academics and practitioners from Europe, Southeast Asia, and partner institutions from other regions.
Organised under the Higher Education Partnership for a Sustainable Blue Economy (STABLE), the Summer Course welcomed 66 participants from 19 countries, alongside 23 partner institutions and stakeholders. Through lectures, field visits and collaborative discussions, participants explored how nature-based solutions can contribute to a more sustainable Blue Economy.
STABLE is one of three Higher Education Institution (HEI) Clusters supported through the EU–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Programme (SCOPE-HE), alongside clusters on Green Transition and Digital Transformation. Funded by the European Union through the Global Gateway initiative, SCOPE-HE strengthens collaboration between higher education institutions across Europe and Southeast Asia through education, research, innovation and capacity development to address shared regional and global challenges.
Learning Across Borders and Disciplines
One of the defining features of the H2O Summer Course was its interdisciplinary or even transdisciplinary approach. Undergraduate, master's and PhD students learned alongside lecturers, researchers and practitioners from diverse academic backgrounds, including marine science, fisheries, engineering, environmental management, tourism and natural sciences.
Rather than focusing solely on classroom learning, participants worked together throughout the programme to analyse real-world challenges from different perspectives. During field visits to inland fisheries, coastal ecosystems and island communities, multidisciplinary teams discussed their observations and developed recommendations, demonstrating how sustainable Blue Economy solutions require collaboration across disciplines as much as across countries.
As highlighted by Dr Alim Setiawan Slamet, Rector of IPB University, the Summer Course was designed not only to strengthen international collaboration, but also to introduce participants to Indonesia's own perspective on the Blue Economy.
"We want to introduce the Indonesian perspective of the Blue Economy—not merely from ocean activities, but also from inland fisheries."
Participants engage with experts from Wetlands International Indonesia during a field visit to the Demak Wetlands, where they explored how nature-based solutions, including mangrove restoration and Associated Mangrove Aquaculture (AMA), contribute to sustainable coastal management and community resilience.
From Learning to Action
The choice of Tidung Island as the venue for the programme's closing reflected the spirit of the H2O Summer Course itself. After a week of exploring inland waters, reservoirs, coastal ecosystems and island communities, participants concluded their journey by experiencing firsthand both the opportunities and challenges facing Indonesia's coastal environments.
In his closing remarks, SCOPE-HE Expert Joerg Meier, reflected on what he observed while walking around Tidung Island before the closing ceremony, and on many other small islands in Indonesia. Witnessing mangrove planting initiatives alongside the persistent challenge of plastic waste and waste management reinforced an important message: addressing environmental challenges requires awareness, traditional and scientific knowledge, as well as collaborative action.
Encouraging participants to take those lessons beyond the Summer Course, he said:
"I hope you stay connected and do research together over continents between the EU and ASEAN. These are global challenges that we need to address jointly."
His message echoed one of the programme's central themes: sustainable Blue Economy challenges cannot be solved by one country, one discipline or one institution alone. They require collaboration between researchers, communities, policymakers and future leaders across borders.
For Professor Hefni Effendi, Lead of the STABLE partnership, the conclusion of the Summer Course marks the beginning of future collaboration.
"Our journey does not stop here. Let us continue to collaborate and network actively, exploring new possibilities for future partnerships through the many funding opportunities available around the world."
Together, these reflections capture the broader ambition of STABLE and SCOPE-HE: investing in people, knowledge and long-term academic collaboration to strengthen sustainable connectivity between Europe and Southeast Asia.
Looking Ahead
The H2O Summer Course is one of the key activities under STABLE. Alongside curriculum development, research stays, research dissemination and international symposiums, the partnership aims to strengthen long-term collaboration between higher education institutions in Europe and Southeast Asia while advancing education, research and innovation for a sustainable Blue Economy.
By bringing together participants from different countries, academic disciplines and stages of their careers, the programme demonstrates how higher education can foster the knowledge, networks and collaboration needed to address global sustainability challenges.
Related Stories
Behind every lecture, field visit and discussion are personal stories of learning, collaboration and discovery. Explore the experiences of participants and organisers from the H2O Summer Course:
Everything Is Connected – Rozemarijn de Wit reflects on how Indonesia broadened her perspective on marine sustainability.
Balancing People, Planet and Prosperity – Kai Nijehuis shares why future Blue Economy solutions require collaboration across science, society and policy.
From a Love of Fish to Building Connections That Last – Professor Hefni Effendi explains the vision behind STABLE and the importance of building partnerships that continue beyond the project.