The RELIC – Resilient Landscapes BIP aims to provide students with a holistic understanding of how geological, climatic, and cultural processes interact to shape resilient island environments. 

Using Nisyros Island—an aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark (aUGGp)—as a living laboratory, the programme connects Earth sciences, climate studies, and cultural heritage to explore adaptation and sustainability in a changing world.  

Moreover, the course aims to cultivate: 

1. Integration: bridge the gap between geology, climatology, oceanography, and human geography through shared learning modules and field research. 
2. Resilience education: examine how volcanic, climatic, and societal dynamics influence the vulnerability and adaptability of insular communities. 
3. Practical experience: provide hands-on training in scientific observation, data analysis, and environmental monitoring using drones, ROVs, and GIS tools. 
4. Cultural awareness: highlight the role of local knowledge, cultural heritage, and traditional practices in supporting sustainable living within geoparks. 
5. Digital competence: foster skills in geospatial technologies and data visualization through ArcGIS Interdisciplinary Story Maps app and digital collaboration tools. 
6. Civic engagement: encourage student interaction with local authorities and the Nisyros Geopark to co-design small-scale resilience initiatives.  

The five-day on-site module will take place from 22 to 26 March 2027 in Nisyros Island as the experiential core of the RELIC BIP. 

Students carry out geological and environmental observations in the island’s caldera and hydrothermal field, identifying volcanic structures. Using drones, ROVs, and portable sensors, they collect and analyze data on geomorphology, hydrothermal activity, and air-quality parameters. 

Workshops support data interpretation and visualization through GIS and ArcGIS StoryMaps.  Each day centers on a thematic area led by a CIVIS partner university with input from external experts.  

• Day 1 – NKUA: Volcanic evolution and morphotectonic processes of Nisyros. Visit to the Nisyros Geopark Information Center and talks by local authorities (Mayor of Nisyros and Geopark's President) (Nomikou – 6 hours; Local authorities – 2 hours).
• Day 2 – NKUA: Pyroclastic deposits and reconstruction of eruptive parameters, with guest contribution from Prof. Kuscu. (Nomikou - 7 hours,  Kuscu – 1 hour).
• Day 3 – Sapienza and NKUA: Marine drone surveys, shallow hot springs, and coastal geomorphology. (Casalbore & Chiocci – 5 hours, Poulos-1 hour) Volunteer beach cleaning activity in collaboration with the Cultural Association Diavatis -2 hours). 
• Day 4 – NKUA & University of Bucharest: Climate system, water balance, and environmental risks in the Eastern Mediterranean. Satellite observations of Earth, guest lecture from Dr. Dialynas (Nastos, Tiscovschi & Hatzaki – 7 hours; Dialynas - 1 hour).
• Day 5 – Aix-Marseille Université: GIS applications, interactive mapping, and integration of cultural heritage into digital narratives (Baika – 6 hours). External contribution from Prof. Papadopoulou and Dr. Antoniou – 2 hours). 

Interdisciplinarity is embedded throughout, combining the scientific fields of geology, climatology, oceanography, geography, and archaeology. 

Civic engagement is promoted through collaboration with DIKEN and with the Cultural Association Diavatis, including a coastal clean-up and a participatory community workshop. 

Visits to cultural and historical sites - such as Paleokastro, the Folklore Museum, and Byzantine churches - enhance intercultural learning and reveal how natural processes shape cultural identity.

The virtual component of the RELIC BIP will be held from 8 to 26 February 2027 provides the theoretical and conceptual foundation for the on-site work in Nisyros.  

Delivered over three weeks, the nine online sessions introduce students to the island’s volcanic system, climatic context, and cultural heritage through lectures, demonstrations, and collaborative digital exercises.  

Each partner university contributes modules that reflect their expertise:  

• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: Introduction to the Nisyros aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark (aUGGp); volcanic morphology and  monitoring, hazard assessment, climate modelling and water resource management.
• Sapienza Università di Roma: Seafloor mapping techniques and comparative studies of Italian insular volcanoes. 
• University of Bucharest: Agro-climatic modeling, land degradation, and water resource management in the Eastern Mediterranean. 
• Aix-Marseille Université: Impacts of climate change on coastal and underwater cultural heritage in the Mediterranean.  

Interactive elements include live polls, small-group discussions, and digital labs using ArcGIS StoryMaps app and the Virtual Geosites Open Lab.  Students will begin developing their ArcGIS StoryMap projects during this phase, integrating geological, climatic, and cultural data.  

The virtual module ensures all participants enter the field phase with a solid understanding of key methods and regional dynamics. It also promotes cross-institutional interaction early on, fostering teamwork and intercultural dialogue before the physical meeting in Nisyros.