CS 2021 "Sustainable Land Use in the Seychelles"

Krütli P., Nef, D., Kangethe, P., Etongo, D. & Stauffacher M. (Eds.) (2022). Sustainable Land Use – Seychelles’ Transport System. USYS TdLab Transdisciplinary Case Study 2021. ETH Zürich, USYS TdLab. doi: external page 10.3929/ethz-b-000622878

Course

The tdCS is problem-oriented and research-based 7 ECTS teaching activity in a real-world setting. The project starts from a real-world problem and aims to produce usable results for the local community. Intensive collaboration with local partners from the public and the private sectors, as well as civil society is key. Collaboration includes: joint problem framing before the study starts; mid-term validation through local experts; joint field work with students from the local university; and creation of joint knowledge.

Objectives

Learning objectives of the tdCS include: understanding a case in its complexity and context; knowledge application and methodological skills in a real world setting; independence in managing research activities (develop own research plans); use of (transdisciplinary) methods according to the project needs; collecting, analyzing and reporting of own data; working in intercultural teams (ETH & UniSey); collaborating with local stakeholders using different formats; adapting to foreign social, economic, cultural and political settings; and reporting of work progress and insights in local media and public events.

Study area

The Seychelles, located in the southern part of the Indian ocean, is a small state of 450km² land mass spread over some 115 islands within a sea area of 1.4 million km². The archipelago shares most of the other Small Island Developing States’ (SIDS) challenges like: size; isolation from global markets; limited resources and small domestic markets. Furthermore, they are exposed and highly vulnerable to effects of climate change; they increasingly face side effects typical of rapidly developing societies; and they have limited capacities for long-term planning and infrastructure management.

Topic

Between 2012 and 2015 ARUP, a multinational consultant, developed the Strategy Plan Seychelles 2040. The strategy outlines Seychelles’ development (options) in all three sustainability dimensions over the next twenty-five years. Currently, the Seychelles Planning Authority (SPA) is working on the implementation of the strategy plan while land use planning is major activity. SPA is major partner of the case study. TdLab and SPA jointly defined Sustainable Land Use as umbrella theme. Topics to focus in the case study may include transport infrastructure, tourism, conservation, housing, agriculture, etc.