This project will enable student scientists to develop knowledge and skills in flood risk management. It will immediately benefit senior tertiary students (‘learners’) in Indonesia and Myanmar who aspire to pursue an applied science and research career, but are experiencing education interruptions due to the pandemic and/or major social events. Our project aims to build learners’ capacity in flood risk management by constructing a better digital training environment. Our novel approach involves a combination of online lecturing, remote coaching, and local activities. Supported by our education collaborators in Indonesia and Myanmar, we will design and organize a range of field activities for learners to enhance collaborative experiential learning. Our multidisciplinary
team will enable and support learners to perform complete scientific tasks, assess vulnerability, and develop a community-based risk reduction plan.

This project will foster a North-South collaboration in capacity development. Expert educators from New Zealand, the U.S, China, and Hong Kong will join those from Indonesia and Myanmar to provide quality training for learners from these two countries. The project will improve learners’ technical capacity and create digitally reusable resources for future capacity development initiatives. The approach will provide lessons for remotely organizing field-learning activities to meet the knowledge needs of learners from the Global South.