BLUE4SEAS project reinforces internationalization and mobility, as well as links between education, research, and innovation, in line with the challenges identified by recent studies. To reach the project goal, two major objectives are pursued:
- Creation of strategic partnership as a bridge between the five maritime higher education institutions located in countries bordering on three of four seas of Europe. The project is carried out transnationally, as it promotes shared use of research, learning, and training infrastructure in the field of marine environment pollution within an interregional network formed by five maritime higher education institutions with similar specificities but which complement each other in terms of skills, experience, facilities, and portfolio. The settlement of a Network of research and innovation on maritime environment protection is designed to support academic exchanges, to share knowledge, to promote infrastructure facilities and research activities between these maritime institutions with the aim to be extended at European and international level.
- Enhancing the capacities of maritime higher education institutions participating in the project through cooperation in the field of marine environment protection with a view to promote innovation, and to exchange best practices and know-how.
The target group consists of the undergraduate and graduate students from the project partners, as Navigation and Naval Management Faculty (RO), French Maritime Academy (FR), Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport (SI), Maritime Faculty (TR), and Lithuanian Maritime Academy (LT).
Positive effects are achieved by addressing skills gaps in the field of marine pollution prevention. A new and innovative English module will be developed to meet the learning needs of the students from the 5 maritime higher institutions from the countries participating in the project. At the same time, this module is relevant to the labor market and to the needs of the shipping industry, including for better use of multidisciplinary online learning. Courses are designed to allow for more flexible learning while developing the digital skills of teachers and undergraduate students, and last but not least, allow the acquisition of transferable and digital skills. The courses are addressed to students in maritime higher education and respond to employers' and graduates' requests and needs.