Practical course on Aquaculture by the Agricultural University of Athens

From October 23 to 27, 2023, the Laboratory of Applied Hydrobiology of the Department of Animal Science at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) organized a practical course on Aquaculture. It took place within the Aquaculture course of the EU-CONEXUS Minor in Blue Economy and Growth. Throughout this course, students from Croatia, Romania, and Greece had the opportunity to obtain valuable skills and knowledge in fish anatomy, anesthesia, and water quality assessment. In addition, Minor students had the opportunity to learn about the basics of gene regulation in fish and gain a deep understanding of the technique that is used for quantifying gene expression. Finally, the course also included a laboratory-based hands-on course on aquaculture live prey hatching.

Besides the scientific involvement, students also enjoyed the city of Athens, tried local delicacies, built new connections, and shared their cultures. In a more general sense, both the training course and the whole experience played a crucial part in the mission of guiding European students towards Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability.