The first meeting of the SEA-EU project management team of the University of Split together with the associated project partners, stakeholders and the board of advisors was held on Wednesday, July 1st, at the "Don Frane Bulić" Hall in the University Library.
The first meeting of the SEA-EU project management team of the University of Split
Present there were rector prof. dr. sc. Dragan Ljutić and vice-rectors prof. dr. sc. Đurđica Miletić, prof. dr. sc. Leandra Vranješ Markić, prof. dr. sc. Goran Kardum, prof. dr. sc. Tomislav Kilić and Associate Professor dr. sc. Željko Radić and committee leaders. The meeting was also attended by The World Bank Senior Adviser Danica Ramljak, serving as a project advisor. Also present were the representatives of associate partners of the University of Split who aided with the creation of this project: Ministry of Tourism, Institute of Oceanography and Fishing, Hydrographic Institute of the Republic of Croatia, Ericsson Nikola Tesla, DIV group, Invento Capital Partners, Split-Dalmatia County, Erasmus Student Network Croatia as well as stakeholder representatives: Institute for Adriatic Cultures and Karst Reclamation, Hotel Group Blue Sun Hotels, Supetrus Hotels, Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce.
At the start, rector prof.dr.sc. Dragan Ljutic greeted all the attendees, thanking them for getting involved in the SEA EU alliance and complementing them on all the successful activities achieved thus far.
- Many projects have been completed and realized at the University of Split, thanks in large part to the Government headed by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. The University of Split is excellently positioned on the world-renowned scientific charts thanks to the work and effort put forth by numerous scientists, as evidenced by as many as 32,000 quotes of papers published in world literature, and that’s not counting other collaborations. In addition to the STEM area, other disciplines are being developed at the University of Split, we need to nurture our language, culture, social and humanities activities - said Rector Ljutić, concluding that the University, together with all of its associate partners in the SEA-EU project, will continue to develop and grow.
Vice-rectors Miletić and Vranješ Markić presented in greater detail the project, management structure, its determinants and strategic goals, along with the results realized thus far in the project. Furthermore it was explained what the role of the partners is, its stakeholders and advisors in the project.
It’s worth remembering that along with the Universities in Cadiz, Bretagnia, Malta, Kiel and Gdańsk, the University of Split, in the October of last year became a member of an alliance of the European University of the Sea (SEA-EU). This is a success of historical proportions when one considers 54 applied (300 Universities) and only 17 alliances were chosen.
The project itself lasts a total of three years, and the new membership in the SEA-EU alliance gave the University of Split almost one million euros in grants. The money will primarily be invested towards Universities 3,000 students, it’s teaching staff and connecting t e scientific sector with the private one, with an emphasis on environmental protection. In addition, the aim is to create joint undergraduate and graduate level studies, doctoral schools, shared infrastructure and research and knowledge management.
In the first nine months of the project good results were obtained, including the establishment of the SEA-EU office at the University of Split and the formation of it’s management structure, developing virtual and physical mobility, migration issues, creating a Center for Socially Beneficial Learning, connecting the research capacities of all six universities, disseminating the project, etc. All of the above has led to the active work of over 40 experts from various departments within the University of Split.
Through the synergistic work of all components involved, the mission of the European University of the Sea has gone beyond the level of the project itself and has become a vision of how to further develop all six universities.