The marine environment contributes significantly to human health through the provision and quality of the air that we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and in offering health enhancing, economic and recreational opportunities. For millennia, humans have been dependent on seas and oceans as a source of food and a means of transportation. Yet, the oceans and coastal seas are like a double-edged sword when it comes to interactions with human health. Natural events such as hurricanes, severe storms and tsunamis can have devastating impacts on coastal populations, while pathogens and toxic waste can cause illness and death. In terms of productivity (lost working days), the overall global burden of human disease caused by sewage pollution of coastal waters has been estimated at 4 million lost person-years annually. On the positive side, the oceans provide humans with many benefits including food for around a third of the global population, the air that we breathe and our climate system which enables habitation of much of the planet. The marine environment can also be the source of potential health benefits through the provision of healthy food, novel pharmaceuticals and related products derived from marine organisms, as well as through a contribution to general well-being from a close association with the coastal environment (i.e. recreational and psychological benefits, or the Blue Gym effect). The marine environment is also under pressure from human activities such as transport, industrial processes, agricultural and waste management practices. Evaluation and management of the resultant impacts, on both marine ecosystems themselves, and on human health, have largely been undertaken as separate activities, under the auspices of different disciplines with no obvious interaction. Hence, many relationships between the marine environment and human health are still relatively unexplored, leaving critical knowledge gaps for those seeking to develop effective policies for the sustainable use of marine resources and environmental and human health protection.
About the course
Content
This course aims at describing and illustrating the fundamental and applied concepts of the emerging research and development field of Oceans and Human Health (OHH). This includes insights, fundamental science and applications to elucidate and understand how marine ecosystems impact human health and vice versa. This course aims at mobilizing interdisciplinary competencies and ensuring that the necessary scientific and technical capabilities are transferred. The complex and causal interconnections between the marine environment and ecosystem and human health require a systems approach addressing all levels of organization from genes to ecosystems. Such an integrated systems approach - which will be presented applied in this course - will draw on the skills and expertise of many scientific disciplines including the social and economic sciences. Topics will focus on both threats and benefits of marine ecosystems for human health, including biodiscovery of natural products, Blue Gym Effect, sea spray, offshore wind, deep sea mining and pollution in a broader context.
LECTURES (1.5 ECTS) Part of the knowledge will be conveyed through lectures, including principles and basics of oceans & Human health and introduction to threats and opportunities within oceans and human health.
BLENDED LEARNING SESSIONS (INTEGRATION SEMINAR) (1 ECTS) Students will be divided into groups to work on a specific topic related to the course. This will focus on new ground-breaking topics relevant to Oceans & Human Health. Each blended learning session will provide knowledge and discussion on a critical part that students need to develop for their project (e.g. legislation, valorization, ethics, finance). A report is expected for each blended learning session. In the end, students will summarize the different reports in a final report and group presentation where the other students will question them based on an assigned perspective (e.g. industry, academic and citizen perspective)
CRITICAL REFLECTION (0.5 ECTS) Students will then individually reflect on the project and the discussion perspectives. This will be evaluated during the oral exam.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the main processes driving the relationship between marine ecosystem health and human health
- Discuss consequences of human activities in marine ecosystems
- Discuss how changes in marine ecosystems lead to consequences for human health
- Identify threats and opportunities of blue economy activities to oceans and human health interactions
- Develop strategies to further strengthen the positive human health impact of oceans
Teaching methods
Lecture, Independent work, Project
Assessment
Assessment moments: end-of-term and continuous assessment
Examination methods in case of end-of-term assessment during the first examination period: Oral assessment, Written assessment
Examination methods in case of end-of-term assessment during the resit examination period: Oral assessment, Written assessment
Examination methods in case of continuous assessment: Participation, Presentation, Assignment
Possibilities of retake in case of continuous assessment: not applicable
Extra information on the examination methods:
- End of term assessment: Written examination on content of the lectures, oral examination related to project
- Continuous assessment: blended learning sessions: participation of the student in the blended learning, reports of each blended learning session and presentation and final report at the end of the sessions
Calculation of the examination mark:
- End of term assessment: 50%; continuous assessment (participation, reports, presentation): 50%;
- Students who eschew continuous or end of term assessment may be failed by the examiner.
Lecturers
Asselman, Jana: lecturer-in-charge
Janssen, Colin: co-lecturer
Course dates
This course takes place in the first semester of academic year 2025-2026:
- Educational activities: September 22 to December 12, 2025
- Catch-up activities: December 15 to December 20, 2025
- Christmas recess: December 22, 2025 to January 2, 2026
- Examination period: January 5 to January 31, 2026
- Resit examination period: August 17 to September 12, 2026
This course with a blended learning approach will run from September 22, 2025, to December 12, 2025:
- Pre-recorded theory lectures for flexible viewing (odd weeks)
- Interactive sessions with a recap, Q&A, and online group work (even weeks). Sessions will be recorded. The schedule will follow later.
- Group work: During course hours or at a time chosen by the group.
How to apply?
Entry requirements: General and basic knowledge of biology, ecology, physics and chemistry.
Before application: Please check with your home faculty / study programme if the course can be integrated in your curriculum in order to ensure recognition of the ECTS credits obtained
Students from ENLIGHT partner universities are eligible to participate. Students will be selected at each of these universities separately. Students interested in the course need to apply via their home university. The home university will select the permitted number of students, inform the students as soon as possible, and then send these names to the host institution. Unsuccessful students will be placed on a waiting list and may get a place, if other universities do not use all their allocated places.
Please select your home university below and inform your ENLIGHT coordinator about your interest to participate in the course. Please include information on whether you have clarified recognition with your home faculty.
- University of the Basque Country:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Bern:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Bordeaux:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Comenius University Bratislava:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Galway:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Ghent University:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Groningen:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Göttingen:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - University of Tartu:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Uppsala University:
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Contact
For information regarding the procedure to take part in this course:
For information regarding the course content: