The 1st edition of the Intensive Study Programme in Planning and Management of Marine and Coastal Areas was successfully concluded on the 14th of June 2019. It involved a total of 24 students from different institutions and nationalities, namely Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon. The entire educational program, accounted for an initial part of theoretical lessons taught in May through online long-distance courses prepared by the MARINE_ECOMED Project partners and the two weeks workshop held at MIO – Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography of Aix-Marseille University.
During the workshop students from different institutions, nationalities and academic backgrounds worked in mixed groups simulating the multidisciplinary dimension of spatial planning in which experts from different fields work together in synergy. Students were supervised by partnership experts to guide them in the practical tasks. As main final outcome students achieved to elaborate 5 different planning proposals for the management of the selected study area: the Calanques National Park. Such area is a French National Park enclosing both terrestrial and marine space, with high natural value, where several human activities are developed.
The workshop was located inside the study area. Practical work on the development of planning proposals following maritime spatial planning process main steps was alternated with frontal lessons by partnership experts and field excursions to enable students develop a comprehensive knowledge of the territory and suggest the most effective management strategies for the coastal and marine space of the study area.
At the end of the workshop, the 1st MARINE_ECOMED multiplier event was organized in the form of a conference where students were enabled to present their work to local stakeholders operating on the study area. Stakeholders provided an important feedback to students and the entire partnership on the planning proposals realized through the workshop, their accuracy and applicability in reality. Further, at this event, MARINE_ECOMED partners presented the last advancements of their research and educational programs during the afternoon session on “Needs, challenges and future perspectives in marine education & research”.
