3rd Virtual Interdisciplinary Conference Blue Economy in Urban Coastal Areas
The Third Virtual Interdisciplinary Conference Blue Economy in Urban Coastal Areas within the framework of the EU-CONEXUS Research for Society (RFS) project closed the session of three conferences. On June 6, 11 speakers presented their recent interdisciplinary research related to the blue economy in urban coastal areas. About 30 listeners observed the presentations and participated in the conference programme. Beside partners, the project event also included members of SEA-EU Alliance.
The conference was opened by Vice-Rector Zvjezdan Penezić and assoc. prof. Ivan Župan, who welcomed the participants and declared the 3rd virtual conference officially open. The conference covered various topics from an interdisciplinary perspective, including sustainable agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and seafaring.
Two keynote speakers opened the programme: assoc. prof. Tomislav Šarić spoke on the topic of Sustainable Aquaculture Development and Ecosystem Services, and assoc. prof. Mladen Rajko on The Role of the Adriatic Sea in Rural Areas Development.
After the opening presentations and a short break, the session continued with participants/speakers representing various institutions: Miguel Ángel Latorre Guillem and Elena Martinez Marti from the Catholic University of Valencia, Pradeep Balasaheb Kumkar from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Agnė Šneiderienė, Rasa Žilienė, and Daiva Labanauskaitė from Klaipeda University, Christina Zantioti from Agricultural University of Athens, Ivan Župan from the University of Zadar, Maria de Andres from SEA-EU Alliance, and Brakemi Egbedi from the South East Technological University, Ireland.
The conference was followed by a 45 minutes workshop, moderated by assoc. prof. Ivan Župan (University of Zadar), focusing on the interdisciplinary research related to the development of the blue economy in coastal areas.
A fruitful discussion also provided all participants with an opportunity to present their views on the benefits or challenges of integration of interdisciplinarity into their research.
To conclude, we can say that the 3rd conference, although in a virtual environment, was a successful continuation of the two previously held conferences. Its conclusions and ideas of all participants will be a great help in the deployment of a Think-Tank on Interdisciplinarity for SmUCS.
