Diploma in Offshore Interconnections and Planning
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in offshore interconnections and planning. 8 modules covering subsea transmission systems, route and seabed surveys, cable design and protection, marine installation, interconnection planning, permitting and environment, and operation and maintenance, with IEC 60287, IEC 63026 and Cigré TB 490, and an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Offshore Interconnections and Planning — studying from Australia
Australia's infrastructure pipeline is substantial, covering roads, rail, ports, water and urban development across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. Rail engineering is especially active, with projects including Sydney Metro and Melbourne Metro. Smart city initiatives draw on sensors, data platforms and digital twins to improve transport, utilities and public services. Employers include state transport authorities, engineering consultancies such as Aurecon and WSP, and major contractors. Engineers work on design, asset management, construction oversight and sustainability.
Fees for Australia: A$2,050 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does a SEIUM qualification meet Australian civil engineering registration requirements?
No. Civil engineers in Australia typically need an Engineers Australia accredited degree to pursue Chartered status, and state and territory rail and infrastructure regulators set their own requirements. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so employers or regulators decide how much weight they carry.
Which Australian employers hire in civil, rail and smart cities?
Australia has public infrastructure agencies, rail operators, engineering consultancies and councils working on urban and smart city projects. Employers usually prioritise accredited qualifications, licensing and project experience. Ask potential employers whether a private online qualification would be considered alongside your experience.
Is the course workable alongside work, and what does it cost?
The courses are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900, so plan your time accordingly. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship may be possible, and you will have an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Compare HVAC and HVDC technologies for subsea links.
Plan cable routes taking seabed constraints into account.
Size cables and mechanical protection systems.
Organise installation and marine logistics.
Apply European interconnection planning processes.
Manage environmental and administrative permitting.
Plan the operation and maintenance of offshore links.
Who it's for
- Interconnection engineers working on cross-border and island links.
- Subsea cable engineers responsible for design, protection and testing.
- Transmission network planners assessing new interconnectors.
- Offshore project engineers in offshore wind and marine infrastructure.
- Environmental permitting technicians handling impact assessments and concessions.
- Energy infrastructure consultants advising developers and system operators.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter electricity transmission.
What you'll work with
- IEC 60287 (calculation of the current rating of electric cables)
- IEC 63026 (submarine power cables for rated voltages from 6 kV to 60 kV)
- Cigré TB 490 (recommendations for testing long AC submarine cables)
- DNV-ST-0359 (subsea power cables for wind power plants)
- Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (TEN-E — trans-European energy infrastructure)
- Directive 2014/89/EU (framework for maritime spatial planning)
- IEC 62067 (power cables with extruded insulation above 150 kV)
- ArcGIS Pro
- DIgSILENT PowerFactory
- CYMCAP
- AutoCAD Civil 3D
8 modules
1.1HVAC versus HVDC for subsea links1.2LCC and VSC converters1.3Monopole and bipole configurations1.4XLPE and mass-impregnated paper cables1.5Losses and critical length in AC1.6Existing interconnectors in Europe1.7Offshore substations1.8Meshed multi-terminal grids1.9Exchange capacity and interconnection ratios1.10Case study: HVAC versus HVDC comparison for a 150 km link
2.1Desktop study and bathymetric data2.2Geophysical and geotechnical campaigns2.3Anchor and fishing risks2.4Crossings with other cables and pipelines2.5Environmental exclusion zones2.6Unexploded ordnance and heritage2.7Landfall2.8Route optimisation with GIS2.9Route report2.10Practical exercise: route selection on nautical charts
3.1Electrical design and thermal rating3.2Calculations according to IEC 602873.3Armouring and mechanical protection3.4Burial and burial depth3.5Protection with rock placement and mattresses3.6Cable testing according to Cigré TB 4903.7Accessories, joints and terminations3.8Integrated optical fibre3.9Service life and failure modes3.10Lab: ampacity calculation for a buried cable
4.1Cable-laying vessels and barges4.2Laying and trenching techniques4.3Weather windows4.4Ports and reel logistics4.5Pull-in at platforms and landfall4.6HDD at landfalls4.7Marine safety management4.8Monitoring and as-built records4.9Installation risks4.10Case study: installation plan for a cable section
5.1ENTSO-E's Ten-Year Network Development Plan5.2Transmission planning in Spain5.3Projects of common interest (PCIs)5.4ENTSO-E cost-benefit analysis5.5Market and congestion studies5.6Integrating offshore wind5.7Maritime spatial planning (POEM)5.8Coordination between system operators5.9Energy scenarios5.10Practical exercise: simplified cost-benefit analysis
6.1Environmental impact assessment6.2Effects on marine fauna and noise6.3Electromagnetic fields6.4Concessions in the maritime public domain6.5Cross-border coordination6.6Public participation6.7Natura 2000 network6.8Environmental monitoring6.9TEN-E Regulation6.10Workshop: outline of an impact study
7.1Distributed temperature sensing7.2Partial discharge detection7.3Locating subsea faults7.4Cable repair and vessels7.5Spare parts strategies7.6Availability and penalties7.7Critical infrastructure protection7.8ROV inspections7.9Operational risk management7.10Case study: fault response plan
8.1Defining the link and its objectives8.2Technology selection8.3Route study8.4Electrical sizing8.5Installation strategy8.6Environmental analysis and permitting8.7Cost estimate8.8Scheduling and risks8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ArcGIS Pro, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, CYMCAP and AutoCAD Civil 3D, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: cable thermal rating calculations, route studies on bathymetric data and cost-benefit analyses of interconnectors. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: IEC 60287, IEC 63026, Cigré TB 490, DNV-ST-0359, Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (TEN-E), Directive 2014/89/EU (maritime spatial planning), IEC 62067.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with ArcGIS Pro, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, CYMCAP and AutoCAD Civil 3D, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree is required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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