Full scholarships from the Government of Japan 1 Master’s in Marine Plastics Abatement

The Marine Plastics Abatement (MPA) Program aims to train new generation of environmental leaders who will help combating marine plastic litters with advanced technologies and management practices. 

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest problems affecting the marine environment today. A staggering 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans every year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The top 6 countries in the world that discharge the most plastic debris into the ocean are in Asia, according to scientific research. The specialized MPA program seeks to empower young Asian practitioners, social entrepreneurs, officials and professionals who can play significant roles in marine plastic abatement, which is the key for attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The MPA Program is a 1-year Master’s degree program designed to address and achieve the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG14: Life Below Water
• SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG17: Partnerships for the Goal

The program will provide individual coaching, creative working space, field exposure and tailor-made guidance to the students. It consists of

• Preparatory (e-learning) courses,
• e-learning modules and provocative discussions with field exposures and
• “Intensive Summer (Winter) School Program” (ISSP)

Marine Plastics Abatement Program is waiting to hear from you – Creating leaders for sustainable Asia and beyond

Marine Plastics Abatement for whom?

Candidates with a Bachelor degree (four-year program or equivalent) in relevant field of study from an institution of good standing acceptable to AIT, with Undergraduate grades significantly above average (GPA > 2.75 or equivalent), satisfactory physical and mental health with work experience (if any) in areas related to waste management, plastic industry, pollution control, businesses on reuse/recycle/recovery of wastes, marine ecosystems, waste-to-energy, waste-to-resources, etc. are eligible to apply.

Why Marine Plastics Abatement?

Marine Plastics Abatement is a new program which will be launched in August 2020 at AIT under the Environmental Engineering and Management Program (EEM), Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change with support from the Government of Japan as a step towards its “MARINE Initiative” with regards to realization of the “Osaka Blue Ocean Vision” shared at the G20 Osaka Summit last year, aimed at reducing additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050. The MPA Program focuses on;

• Management of wastes,
• Recovery of marine litter,
• Innovation, and
• Empowerment

Graduates and trained professionals from the MPA program, together with experts from Japan and other countries, will form the planned ‘Global Marine Plastic Alliance’ – a regional network think-tank providing technical expertise, policy guidance and professional consultation on the ocean plastic issue.

Research Areas

• Fate of plastic wastes in dumpsites, landfills, river, and coastal zones
• Circular economy in plastic waste management
• Heath-care plastic wastes & COVID-19
• Material flow analysis of plastics in different communities
• Applications and effects of bioplastics and its byproducts
• Stakeholder engagement in plastic value chains
• Plastics to materials innovations
• Effects of marine plastic litters on coastal livelihoods
• Health implications of nano- and micro-plastics
• Sustainable business model
• Behavioral changes in plastic uses, reuse, recycle and disposal

Certification

Students who successfully complete the courses and research requirements will be awarded the Master’s degree in Marine Plastics Abatement. This degree will be awarded by Asian Institute of Technology.Download Program Brochure  

We are accepting applications for August 2021 intake

Application Deadline: 30 June 2021 (For overseas candidates requiring an educational visa)

Official website