Baltic Earth Working Group on Education

• How to teach knowledge about the Earth system and research on mitigation and adaptation of climate
  change and other drivers of Earth system changes in the best possible way?
• How can the range of Baltic Earth courses for students and early-career scientists (ECSs) be improved?
• How can advanced ECSs be trained and involved as tutors for Baltic Earth courses, so that they
  themselves can go on to become teachers and professors?

The aim of Baltic Earth is to train a new generation of Earth system scientists for the Baltic Sea region and for the global Earth system who conduct interdisciplinary and holistic research in the context of Baltic Earth. As this training is not offered at most universities in Baltic Sea countries, Baltic Earth offers courses for masters and
doctoral students in order to build on existing knowledge.

The courses aim to convey the theoretical foundations of the Earth system functioning. In addition, application oriented research is taught in order to find solutions for climate, environmental and other societally relevant problems. In particular, basic and advanced knowledge about the climate system consisting of the atmosphere, the ocean, sea ice and the land surface as well as the terrestrial and marine ecosystems is taught. The role of other human influences on the Earth system and a comparison with other coastal seas is also being intensively analysed and discussed. The courses teach the basics of dynamic Earth system modelling, the development and application of modern observation methods and the use of statistical methods to analyse observation data and model simulations. In some courses, for the exercises and tutorials, introductions to programming are offered to the students. In addition to basic knowledge about the Earth system with its many processes, skills such as science communication, presentation techniques, literature surveys, and proposal writing are also taught.

Usually, lecturers from different disciplines and locations take part in the schools, providing a wide range of expertise. By regularly organising summer and winter schools and hybrid master's courses open to guest students from countries all around the Baltic Sea but also outside of Europe, Baltic Earth has succeeded in significantly increasing the number of ECSs attending Baltic Earth workshops and conferences.

The aim is to maintain the ambitious teaching programme of the past in the future. The series of summer and winter schools will continue. The annual summer school, primarily aimed at master’s students, focuses on the climate of the Baltic Sea region and is organised by Rostock University and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea
Research Warnemünde at the Askö Laboratory operated by the Stockholm University Baltic Sea Center. The annual winter school, covering various topics and aimed at doctoral students and other ECSs, rotates between institutes in the Baltic Sea region that are responsible for the local organisation. The international Baltic Earth
Secretariat supports the organisation and implementation of both schools. As in the past, additional courses on topics such as remote sensing, instrumentation of observing systems, regional and global Earth system modelling, ecosystem modelling, and related topics will be organised. When possible, regular courses at various
universities in the Baltic Sea region are made available for remote participation in a hybrid format. It is also envisaged that additional practical exercises, field courses, and introductory training in programming and Earth system modelling will be added to the offerings.