Education and research

Education and research are central components of the blue growth strategy and it is recognized that training itself, and the delivery of high-quality graduate programmes, is part of the engine which drives innovation and technology development in maritime sectors. A strong vision for the future of marine science education and training must identify ways to improve the capabilities of the next generation of marine scientists and engineers to work at a systems level, applying multi-disciplinary knowledge to address complex marine issues which cut across scientific, environmental and social systems. To achieve this, it is necessary to examine the very complex educational landscape that currently produces our professional marine experts, identify some of the key issues and challenges faced by educators, and make recommendations on how to improve marine higher educational training in Europe .