15-16 December 2020. The UfM jointly organized with the project S4D4C (Using Science Diplomacy for Addressing Global Challenges) a workshop on Science and Innovation Diplomacy in the Mediterranean on 15 and 16 December 2020. UfM Senior Advisor for Higher Education and Research, Itaf Ben Abdallah, opened the two days of exchanges: “Science diplomacy should emerge from a competitive logic and instead be driven by the spirit of partnership and cooperation. This perspective guides us at the Union for the Mediterranean, where science diplomacy is a daily exercise that the organization reflects in form and substance.” On the first day, a lively debate took place on strengthening the role of science diplomacy in the Euro-Mediterranean region, which involves taking stock of the existing regional public policies on research and innovation,… read more
9 December 2020. A new handbook for academia, industry and policymakers has just been published by the UfM with the support of the German development agency GIZ. This new useful tool is aimed at enhancing career development among students and researchers, at fostering entrepreneurship and start-ups, and at supporting universities in carrying out their ‘third mission’ towards society. The themes of the Handbook emerged through the data analysis of qualitative and quantitative input from 35 organisations around the Mediterranean (universities, research institutions, innovation centres, ministries of education, European Commission, OECD), as well as the mapping of 146 programmes, initiatives and best practices, and a literature review of 1350 publications. The handbook focuses on a total of 11 themes: skills; teaching and learning; collaborative doctorates; international mobility; internships; career services; knowledge exchange; partnerships… read more
· Two meetings, the 26th Meeting of the UfM Regional Platform in Research and Innovation, and a “Virtual Regional Seminar and Celebration of Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation – Milestones and Future Prospects” indicated a strong commitment on Research and Innovation from the European Commission and the 42 Member States. · Taking stock of the 5th UfM Regional Forum held on 27 November, participants acknowledged past achievements, including the PRIMA and BLUEMED, and discussed the future priorities for the next years. Barcelona, 10 December. On the margins of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, the European Commission, in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean, jointly organised a… read more
Barcelona, 19 November 2020 – The UfM Secretariat organised today a Webinar on how the challenges posed by the acceleration of digital transformation in higher education due to the covid-19 pandemic can be transformed into opportunities for the improvement of the quality and inclusiveness of teaching. Eight speakers, representing the diversity of stakeholders concerned by the undergoing changes – students, teachers, higher education leaders and policymakers – shared their experiences and their point of view on how the current situation might have an impact in the long run: Kostis Giannidis, President of Erasmus Student Network; Veronica Mobilio, Policy Officer at… read more
7 October 2020, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, met with Peter Wells, Chief of the Section for Higher Education of UNESCO, and Josep M. Vilalta, Director of the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi) and Executive Secretary of the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP). The meeting was the occasion to strengthen the cooperation between UNESCO and the UfM in the field of higher education, opening pathways for future collaboration. The Secretary General emphasized that the UfM is a unique regional organization that gathers 42 Member States from the two shores of the Mediterranean that can give real and effective support to the… read more
PRIMA and UfM together call for greater attention to innovation and sustainability for rebuilding the region 16 July 2020. New Challenges, emerging trends and need of transformations: PRIMA and Union for the Mediterranean have promoted an online debate, discussing the first results of the survey on the agrifood sector, as well as concrete solutions and initiatives to address the challenges that are affecting the Mediterranean area. At the presence of UfM Secretary General and PRIMA Co-Chairs, the focus of the conversation has been from the very beginning on how to promote a rebound for the region after the pandemic has exacerbated the already existing problems from an economic, social and environmental point of view. To debate these challenges and the potential solutions ahead is even more relevant… read more
Research and innovation (R&I) are key priorities for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), contributing to enhance regional cooperation and dialogue in order to promote human development, regional stability and integration in the Mediterranean. The 25th meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Research and Innovation took place online to further discuss the region’s future priorities for research and innovation in times of COVID-19 8 June 2020, Barcelona. The 25th meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean Regional Platform on Research and Innovation took place to discuss the region’s future priorities for research and innovation, in particular the needs in a… read more
The Union for the Mediterranean launches a new initiative with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), for universities, research centres and policymakers to share best practices and boost career opportunities in the Mediterranean region. The new initiative seeks to improve the nexus between research, innovation and employability as key tools for relaunching sustainable and resilient economies in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.. 5 and 19 May 2020. Despite young people in the Southern Mediterranean being the most educated generation ever, graduates in the region still experience the highest level of unemployment, at 25% according to the United Nations Development Programme. To help galvanise innovation in the region, the… read more
10 April 2020. The UfM Secretariat participated in the virtual meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) Management Board to discuss potential responses to the educational challenges and opportunities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific proposals on issues such as new relevant study programmes or the digital transformation of teaching and training were developed in preparation of the EMUNI Senate meeting, set to take place on 20 April also by videoconference. The members of the board congratulated the EMUNI network for the two projects recently selected for EU funding. The VISION project will address the future of teaching and training for creativity,… read more
UfM Member States met this week to discuss actions to tackle the COVID-19 crisis through research and innovation as well as a strategic regional cooperation approach to accelerate evidence-based healthcare decision-making. 8 April 2020. Conscious of the pressure that COVID-19 puts on health systems, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is exploring ways to speed and scale-up actions in the field of research and innovation. This was the objective of the virtual meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Research and Innovation, held earlier this week. The wide spectrum of initiatives announced by the European Commission and UfM Member States showed the potential for regional cooperation in terms of establishing collaborative platforms, clinical data collection and access, creation of common databases on technologies and joint development of industrial research solutions and medical treatments/vaccines. The need for a strategic regional cooperation approach regarding the socio-economic implications was also underlined. UfM Secretary General,… read more
