Bridging the gap between the land and the sea in a virtual environment for innovative teaching and community involvement in the science of climate change-induced marine and coastal geohazard.

The BridgEt project was designed to address the growing need for highly skilled professionals in marine and coastal geosciences, with a focus on 3D visualisation, analysis, and communication of en...

The BridgEt project aimed to develop innovative and inclusive teaching methods to enhance skills in 3D geological mapping, with a focus on integrating onshore and offshore geospatial datasets. It addressed a key gap in coastal management by providing standardised workflows for 3D reconstructions of coastal and submarine environments, essential for understanding climate change, sea-level rise, and marine geohazards. A core objective was to reshape marine geoscience education through the use of Virtual Reality (VR), increasing spatial understanding and student engagement. The project provided hands-on training during three international summer schools. It also produced accessible online resources through its Project Results, including datasets shared via Zenodo with assigned DOIs and online resources (among which a "Guide for better land to sea mapping: an interactive journey" and a "virtual cruise"). BridgEt delivered also best practices for data workflows, evaluated teaching methods through surveys, refined VR approaches, and promoted interactive learning while raising awareness of the societal role in marine geosciences.

Central to the project were three innovative and intensive summer schools for MSc and PhD students, which provided hands-on experience in geospatial data acquisition, 3D modelling, and hazard assessment to enhance skills in marine and coastal geosciences. These schools took place in Santorini, Mount Etna, and the Maldives, combining field surveys with the use of existing datasets to explore case studies on coastal geohazards. Students actively applied what they learned during the schools. In parallel, the consortium implemented three transnational project meetings and regular online sessions and delivered nine project results. These include interactive virtual tools, methodological guidelines, and datasets made openly accessible on Zenodo. A key achievement was the development of a VR learning environment for real-time exploration of coastal and submarine landscapes, and a Virtual Cruise allowing users to board a polar vessel and explore its research infrastructure. Some of the participating universities have already integrated these resources into their MSc and PhD programmes. Two multiplier events were also organised, while dissemination/outreach activities were implemented by a dedicated website and social media channels.

The BridgEt project delivered nine concrete project results that together offer a comprehensive and innovative contribution to marine geoscience education. These include: -A policy recommendation (PR01), based on a comparative analysis of MSc programmes and stakeholder engagement, outlining the key skills required in the marine geoscience labour market. -3 handbooks and technical guidelines (PR02, PR04, PR06) that provide standardised methodologies for geospatial data acquisition and processing, including UAV-based bathymetry, underwater photogrammetry, and integrated 3D modelling for geohazard assessment. -4 online platforms and digital learning environments (PR03, PR05, PR07, PR08), including an interactive 360° virtual guide, a VR toolkit for exploring volcanic seafloor environments, a virtual cruise aboard a polar research vessel, and immersive Story Maps developed from multisource datasets. -1 curriculum curriculum design framework, including a teaching module syllabus, and an annotated inventory of open-access VR/3D resources, to support the development of future courses in marine and coastal geohazards (PR09). All resources are freely accessible via the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform, the BridgEt website and Zenodo.