Nearly 100 representatives from SEA-EU partner universities met at the University of Malta to discuss key issues of the coastal alliance! The next challenges facing SEA-EU were discussed by the newly established Rectors' Council. A number of solutions were adopted, opening up new opportunities and updating those undertaken so far.
The deliberations took place between November 26 and 28 in Malta. During the series of meetings of governing bodies, it was agreed, among other things, that in view of the creation of joint courses of study, joint research and other forms of cooperation, it becomes necessary to seek structural sources of funding for the effective implementation of these goals. It was therefore decided to set up an international office of the alliance, which will give legal personality to the activities of seeking European funding, promoting SEA-EU activities in European institutions and taking over some of the responsibilities of the universities in terms of promotion, marketing and international recruitment.
In turn, during the Executive Committee meeting, one of the most important issues raised was the need to drastically increase the mobility rate of students and academic staff, which depends on the continued expansion of educational offerings in English. Another issue determining the success of joint degrees is their accreditation and funding. The partner universities, including representatives of the alliance's student council, have pledged their continued support for these strategic initiatives. All of the 4 degree programmes (Sustainable Blue Economy, Port Master and Logistics, Sustainability Transition for Organisations and Resilience Management, Marine and Maritime Science and Technologies) that were proposed in the pilot form are currently being evaluated by foreign accrediting agencies.
Another important topic on the agenda was the agreement of a common policy on inclusive communication and equality issues (the so-called Inclusive communication charter) in the daily activities of the alliance and in jointly organised events.
The meeting of the Governing Board - the most important body of the SEA-EU partnership - was devoted to the approval of the new general coordinator of the project, Professor Marcela Iglesias of the University of Cádiz, as well as the signing of the will to implement joint courses of study and the adoption of the objective of acquiring legal personality. The Council consulted with representatives of the European Commission on the prospects for funding in future years for the European University Initiative and approved the pilot concept of MCTS (Mobility Credit Transfer Points) as a tool to improve mobility policy and the acquisition of learning outcomes in all international educational formats.
‘We are entering the strategic phase of our SEA-EU European Seaboard University partnership. Our intentions are not only being transformed into actions, such as establishing joint English-language courses, but we are also taking important steps for further cooperation, which will make it possible to maintain the joint activities already undertaken in the future,’ emphasised the Rector, prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski.
During the workshops and meetings, the University of Gdańsk was represented by the Rector, prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski , the Vice-Rectors: dr hab. Anna Jurkowska-Zeidler, prof. UG (Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Internationalisation), dr Ewa Szymczak, prof. UG (Vice-Rector for Education) and dr hab. Paweł Antonowicz, prof. UG (Vice-Rector for Development and Finance) - members of the SEA-EU Executive Committee and Vice-Rectors’ Council, mec. Maciej Siwy - as legal advisor on the legal status of the partnership, the SEA-EU initiative leaders at UG: mgr Marlena Rutkowska-Myzyk and mgr Natalia Lubińska, as well as alliance student council member Joanna Jakubowska.
The main sponsors of the event are: Visit Malta, Malta's Ministry of Finance and the Malta Financial Services Authority.
