UNIC Students Actively Participated in the Erasmus+ Project Geo-CLIC Summer School

The Summer School on “Monitoring Coastal Dynamics” took place at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, in Spain

In the framework of the European Research Programme Erasmus+ Geo-CLIC (Geoinformatics Climate Change), students from all participating universities attended a summer school with the theme “Coastal Dynamics Monitoring”. The Summer School took place during the week of June 17 – 21, 2024, at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

The lectures and practical workshops included the challenges faced by coastal areas from the dynamic interaction of the sea, climate, environment and man. The analysis is carried out with the utilization of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing to analyse the available information and draw useful conclusions and adopt the necessary policy changes.

The local authorities have taken different measures along the coastline such as the transport of sand (which, drifting southwards, enriches the southern coasts), the creation of breakwaters, the creation of sand traps (from reeds and low vegetation) to retain sand which seem to have a positive impact) and other interventions with both positive and negative effects.

For example, in the photo below, the northern breakwater, an extension of the estuary, is longer to prevent the ingress of sand and to allow the unhindered passage of private yachts moored along the river. As a result, the beach in the south loses all the sand and the sea has reached the buildings. At the moment there is no agreement as to what can be done. The opinion of experts that it will be easier to periodically remove the excess sand from the estuary does not seem to be accepted.

The University of Nicosia was represented by:

(a) Alisa Illarionova, undergraduate student – Data Science
(b) Stefania Germena, undergraduate student – Mechanical Engineering
(c) Andreas Kyriakides, postgraduate student – Data Science
(d) Petros Demosthenous, postgraduate student – Business Administration

The students were accompanied by Mr Kyriakos E. Georgiou.

About the European Research Program Erasmus+ Geo-CLIC

The University of Nicosia participates in the European Research Programme Erasmus+ Geo-CLIC, which aims to contribute to the reversal of climate change and the return of the global climate to a more sustainable level through the use of geoinformatics technology and the utilization of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing to analyse available information, data, draw useful conclusions and adopt the necessary policy changes.

The project is coordinated by the Free University of Brussels (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), while partners in the project in addition to the University of Nicosia are the Technical University of Valencia (Universität Politècnica de València), the University of Zagreb (Sveučilište u Zagrebu) and the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf). The coordination at the University of Nicosia is carried out by the Rector, Professor Philippos Pouyioutas, assisted by the Senior Administrator Rectorate, Mr Kyriakou E. Georgiou.