P5 - Academia Navala Mircea Cel Batran (MBNAR), Constanta, Romania is an accredited higher education institution in Romania for the maritime officers and specialists for maritime and port industry, both civilian and military. MBNAR has its foundation roots in 1872 in ancestor Fleet School, its present value being certified by the Romanian Agency for Quality in Higher Education with highest level of trust, and by different international bodies as high-quality academic institution (e.g. European University Association, IAMU, EMSA, U-Multirank etc).
MBNAR is certified since 2003 in its Quality Management System by Bureau Veritas, based on ISO 9001/2008. The educational offer is focused both on academic (undergraduates and postgraduates programs) and training programs, in field of navigation, naval electro-mechanics, electric engineering, port management and operations, naval equipment and automation, sustainable development and marine environment, counting an average number of 2.500 students and 80 teaching staff core. The educational programs and the training courses on vocational dimension are accredited by the national and international authorities and are developed under ISO 9001/2015 standards.
MBNAR has the operational capacity to provide a wide range of didactic resources for setting up and developing training courses, providing specialized staff and a rich operational endowment, consisting in classes, integrated laboratories, simulators or educational on-line resources and platforms. As academic facilities, MBNAR has more than 60 simulators, laboratories, offices and specialized rooms with appropriate modern equipment, a Training Ships Formation (including the Training Ship "Mircea", motorboats and training crafts), a Training Center for Seamanship and Nautical Sports, a Damage Control Centre, an ITC Center, a department of micro-production and practical training, and also a modern sport complex.
The research and development programs in MBNAR are carried out in compliance with the general EU and national framework, covering a wide range of subjects, in field of naval equipment and technology or maritime and port industry. MBNAR has developed two major interdisciplinary research centers: Research Centre in Marine Engineering and second, in Naval Engineering and Management. Most relevant results were achieved in several significant area of knowledge as electrical engineering and automation filed, mechanical engineering, sustainable development technologies and maritime networks development. MBNAR has been granted both with national funds (under National Plan for Research or Sectorial Initiatives) and European funds, under ESF (Cohesion Structural Funds – Human Resources Capacity), ERDF-RoBg Cross Border Programme, ENPI/IPA programme, or EEA grants on Romanian-Norwegian Programme, where MBNAR has been involved as coordinator or project partner in international consortium. Developing such training and research facilities for maritime body of knowledge MBNAR has become a relevant educational and research institution in the Black Sea area, availing its services in applied research programs for naval and port industry.
Relevant programs and projects: • TURBONAV, NAVYPROM, and PLATMARISC, are administered by the Ministry of National Defense; • PLATMARISC - Innovative maritime platform for real-time intervention through simulated assistance, in disaster risk assessment and reduction in support of coastal maritime towing for special situations (2020-2022); • BLUE4SEAS – Strategic Partnership for supporting Blue Growth by enhancing Maritime Higher Education maritime cooperation framework on marine pollution and environment protection field; • SeaSAFERS - Simulation of Sea Accidents For Effective Responses; • EU Human Capital Operation Programme; • MARINTECH Romanian - Norwegian Strategic Cooperation in Maritime Higher Education for enhancement human capital and knowledge base in field of marine intelligent technologies; • MARS-NET and • SEA MENTORS, for maritime simulations, youth training and mentoring.
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COO – Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare pentru Protectia Mediului (INCDPM), Bucuresti, Romania represents a high-level R&D institution in the environmental protection field, with more than sixty years of cumulated experience at national and international level. INCDPM carries out interdisciplinary research activities, developing "win-win" preventive solutions, adopted in an environmental-friendly manner and targeted on ensuring the favourable conservation status of ecosystems and their biodiversity.
The institute's scientific activity is supported by specialists with extensive experience in biodiversity, hydrodynamics and morfodynamics, water quality indicators monitoring, numerical modelling, GIS and climate change using advanced techniques and research infrastructure. The patents developed by INCDPM researchers in the fields of environmental protection and water quality indicators are highly appreciated at national and international level, being awarded platinum, gold and silver medals. Relevant patent: A/00754/2020 Rapid extraction method for determination of antibiotics in bit (fish) by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLCMS/MS). Projects relevant to the call: • Danube Region Water Lighthouse Action-DALIA, financed through HORIZONMISS-2021-OCEAN-02-02 Danube river basin lighthouse – restoration of fresh and transitional water ecosystems; • Monitoring of Environmental Impact of the Works for Improvement of the Navigation Conditions on the Danubebetween Calarasi and Braila, km 375 - km 175, Contract 53 (2011-2018) funded through Operational Programme - Transport SOPT;
• Completing the biodiversity knowledge level by implementing the conservation status monitoring system for the community interest species and habitats from Romania and reporting under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC,
financed through Large Infrastructure Operational Program, Priority Axis 4 - Environmental protection through biodiversity conservation measures, air quality monitoring and decontamination of historically polluted sites, Specific Objective 4.1. Increasing the degree of protection and conservation of biodiversity and restoring degraded ecosystems; • Study regarding the quality monitoring of the physical-chemical and biological components from Danube Delta and the adjacent coastline considering the transboundary impact of the Bystroe channel, during 2010-2013, and the environment consequences analysis in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reservation and the adjacent coastline determined by the Bystroe Project, Contract 158 (2013-2014) funded by the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Climate Changes;
• Study regarding the updating of the physical-chemical and biological components evaluation from Danube Delta and the adjacent coastline considering the transboundary impact of the Bystroe channel and establishing a transboundary monitoring system coordinated together with the Ukrainian part, in order to analyse the environmental impact on the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve of the project regarding the construction of the deep sea navigation channel on the Bystroe branch, Contract 79 (2014) funded by the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Climate Changes; • Support for businesses and employees to improve skills in the perspective of sustainable development - POSDRU/63/3.2/S/41910 and • Increasing the skills of businesses and employees in the perspective of sustainable development - POSDRU/81/3.2/S/59322 financed through Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development;
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P1 - Institute of Oceanology BAS (IO-BAS), Varna, Bulgaria conducts fundamental and applied research in the field of oceanography in accordance with the national priorities and global trends. The research, applied science and expert work are aimed at developing a strategy for sustainable development and management of the Black Sea ecosystem in compliance with the regional and European legislation and applying an ecosystem approach. The activity of IO – BAS covers research and training in the priority areas: marine physics, chemistry, hydrology, climatology, geomorphology, geology, morphodynamics of the seabed and coastal zone, biology and ecology of the sea, hydrodynamics and lithodynamics of the coastal zone and operational oceanography.IO - BAS has a wide experience in EU, as projects related to present project we mention: • MELTEMI - Marine Litter Transnational Legislation Enchancement and Improvement, financed through the program: Interreg-Balkan-Mediterranean – ERDF; • LitOUTer - Raising Public Awareness and Reducing Marine Litter for Protection of the Black Sea Ecosystem financed through the program ENI CBC Black Sea Basin Programme • TID(Y)UP - F(ol)low the Plastic from source to the sea: Tisza-Danube integrated action plan to eliminate plastic pollution of rivers, founded by INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme.
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P2 - E.M. Associazione A.R.C.E.S. (ARCES), Palermo, Italy has a wide experience in EU funded projects through ENI CBC MED and Erasmus Plus programmes, most being focused on blue economy and in particular conservation of marine biodiversity. ARCES is providing an inter-disciplinary paradigm, additional interventions and support for university studies, by contributing to the cultural enrichment and professional and personal growth of university students. In line with the services provided by the ARCES University College of Merit, the EUROPEAN PROGRAMS area is the specific work unit responsible for the Planning, Management, and Implementation of actions financed by Community Calls in the fields of Research, Innovation and Technological Development, European Territorial Cooperation (ETC), European Union (EU) Cohesion Policy, and European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), with a particular focus on the Euro-Mediterranean region. They are best known for addressing issues such as: protection and safeguarding of the environment and the territory; Blue and circular economy; sustainable business activities; facilitating access to learning key labour market skills, social and digital inclusion; enhancing the current knowledge level of students; organization of events for the dissemination of research results of implemented projects and capitalization with the aim of creating clusters in the Mediterranean region. Subject-related ongoing initiatives: ARCES developed the Cross-Border Cooperation Center to combat the flight of human capital, as part of the • "INTERCONNECT – Innovative perspectives for young students", financed by Interreg Italia Malta JobMatch2020; Other relevant projects: • HELIOS: Enhancing the Social Inclusion Of Neets; • GREENLAND - GREEN-skiLls for a sustAiNable Development and • CLUSTER – advancing youth and women sociaL inclUSion in The mEditerRanean, funded through the ENI CBC MED program.
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P3 - ORDU Universitesi (ORDU), Ordu, Türkiye is one of the largest institutions focusing on the marine science within the Black Sea coasts of Turkey. Expertise in such disciplines have been confirmed with three relevant projects and the articles published. Within the faculty of Fatsa Marine Science in Ordu University, there are 18 ongoing projects starting from 2020. To be more specific, there is one HORIZON 2020, two TÜBİTAK (The Scientific And Technological Research Council Of Türkiye) projects, two non-university projects (in partnership with DOKA- Eastern Black Sea Development Agency, KOSGEB, a Turkish organization specialized on developing small and medium industry), 13 BAP (national coordinatorship of scientific research) projects. ORDU Institution's facilities within the Black Sea coast will make any field work possible for any partner within the Project, through their research departments. Whilst the engineering disciplines provide hydrodynamic calculations, marine science department will analyse the impacts on the ecosystems. They also benefit from already developed research and technology-transfer centers such as Career Development Application and Research Center; Central Research Laboratory; Continous Education Practice and Research Center; Technology Transfer Application and Research Center.
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P4 - Ukrainian Scientific Centre of Ecology of The Sea (UkrSCES), Odessa, Ukraine under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural resources of Ukraine, was founded in January 1992 from the Odessa Branch State Oceanographic Institute and it is the main Ministry's institution the in the field of marine ecological research.
UkrSCES represents an unique institution in charge with complex tasks regarding monitoring of all ecological systems within the Black and Azov Seas, its main roles being i) to provide scientific and practical support for Ukraine's public policy implementation in relation to the protection, rational use and rehabilitation of natural resources of the Black and Azov Seas basins and ii) to provide implementation of international obligations of Ukraine (WFD, MSFD), in relation to marine aspects. From 1993 UkrSCES is designated as the International Regional Activity Center for Pollution Monitoring and Assessment (RAC PMA) of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution (BSC) and under the Baltic2Black project (Environmental Monitoring of the Black Sea with Focus on Nutrient Pollution), since January 2011 UkrSCES had developed the Regional Database on Pollution (RDB-P https://rdbp.sea.gov.ua/database.php ) which is part of the Black Sea Information System (BSIS). RDB-P contains data on pollutants in water, sediments and biota collected in countries in the process of implementation of the Black Sea Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (BSIMAP) and annually reported to the BSC. Since 2014, UkrSCES has been designated as Associate Data Unit (ADU) to the UNESCO's International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) and since 2016 is accredited as the Black Sea Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) node.
UkrSCES main activities are represented by: a) marine water areas environmental monitoring in Ukraine; b) developing programs for environmental monitoring and protection, sustainable use of nature resources and providing environmental safety to territories and aquatic areas; c) carrying out studies on the natural processes in marine ecosystems, coastal ecosystems and factors influencing them; d) development and support of domain-specific online databases, interactive mapping systems, websites; e) assessment and drawing up standards for anthropogenic loads on the environment; f) development, improvement and applying novel methods, environment status analysis and evaluation methods, anthropological loads, meteorological provision of analytical measurements; g) scientific substantiation and development of projects for creating and organizing facilities and territories of Ukraine nature conservation fund; h) organizing conferences, symposiums, courses, seminars, lectures, practical lessons and other forms of advancing the qualification of specialists in the field of environmental protection, use of nature resources, providing ecological safety, management of nature protection activity, providing specialists with high scientific qualification; i) practical activity in environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources; j) publishing, promotion and dissemination activities. As relevant projects we mention: "Improving Environmental Monitoring in the Black Sea" (EMBLAS II, EMBLAS Plus, EU4EMBLAS, since 2015 to present); "The European Marine Observation and Data Network" (EMODnet) (2013-2019); SeaDataCloud project,
EU H2020 programme (2016-2020); "Improving online public access to environmental monitoring data and data tools for the Black Sea Basin supporting cooperation in the reduction of marine litter" - MARLITER BSB 138 (2018-2021); "Advancing Black Sea Research and Innovation to CoDevelop Blue Growth within Resilient Ecosystems" - BRIDGE-BS (2021-2025); "Assessing the vulnerability of the Black Sea marine ecosystem to human pressures" – ANEMONE (2018-2021); "Coordination of Marine and Maritime Research and Innovation in the Black Sea" – Black Sea CONNECT(2018-2021).
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P6 - Universitatea Tehnica Gheorghe Asachi (TUIASI), Iasi, Romania is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious institutions, preserving a notable tradition in engineering, scientific, and cultural education. It has a distinguished local, national, and worldwide presence. The University educates highly skilled professional engineers capable of meeting the innovation, research, and development needs of economic agents swiftly and effectively. It also provides programs for the constant updating of the professional capabilities of engineering specialists, as demanded by global realities and trends. The institution is sympathetic to the incorporation of European principles into education and research and is cognizant of the scope of its national and international responsibilities. Relevant projects: • COFUND-ERAMIN-3-RecMine (2022 – 2024) - Environmental footprint reduction though eco-friendly technologies of mine tailings recycling; • ACCESS2020 - Support Centre for the development and implementation of internationally funded research and development projects in the field of new and emerging technologies, cofounded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Competitiveness Operational Programme 2014-2020; • Strategies and solutions for eco-design and eco-innovation of some processes and products from recyclable materials in the context of the circular economy Contract 64BG/2016 founded through the National RDI Plan III 2015-2020 BRIDGE; • Biosorption and bioaccumulation in the bioremediation of environmental components contaminated with persistent pollutants Contract 265/2011 financed through the National Plan II IDEI.