Theme 6. Blue skills (re-skilling and upskilling), careers and employment

• An evidence-based study is needed for where the needs in terms of skills are. A lot of statements are based on impressions and anecdotal. Give the youth an ambitious policy goal to work towards it (a model sustainability region). Shorter trainings on topical issues that complement more substantive studies are a good tool. EMUNI
• The private sector at local scales understand better the opportunity to interact with other sectors than at the larger scales. Diversification of traditional maritime sectors could be a start. The development of marine protected areas, the declaration of historical sites to promote the common culture in the Mediterranean could be useful. Mobility programs for local leaders and stakeholders to share experiences and lessons learnt amongst maritime private sectors have shown its utility in other parts of the world. Having National Authorities on board and providing full support to these initiatives and incentive the development of new ones at local scale is the best recipe, replication of good practices. The majority of these initiatives do not require major financial investments. IOC-UNESCO
• FAO can offer extensive e-learning to all blue economy sectors linked to food. E-learning for maritime staff, passengers, and people linked to the value chains are essential to spread the awareness. Sustainable Food Systems platform in the Mediterranean Region can offer an approach to mainstream good practices. The Food summit in 2021 could take this platform (FAO UfM CHIEAM) as an example. FAO
• Enhancement of blue strategies with links between environmental NGO’s and socio-economy entreprises and reinforcement the role of local authorities for public sensibilisation about the circular blue economy importance. INSTM – Tunisia
• Workshops and regional conferences and Training programs. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF),Egypt
• Mediterranean marine science must reinforce its position by building a greater knowledge base, by training the next generation of practitioners to think across disciplines, by breaking down traditional barriers across sectors and countries, and by communicating a wider awareness of the seas to the general public. We need to educate the next generation of marine urban designers and engineers, resource managers, and scientists in development and application of eco-engineering and nature-based solution for marine infrastructure and spatial planning. University of Bolognae
• Incentives to startup in this field. CNR
• -Training of young people in the EB sector,
  – Governments must encourage the creation of new jobs in the EB sector.  National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (Tunisia)
• 1-Create a platform and permanent members of the blue economy
  2-Activating the role of members on this platform in every conference and symposium locally and internationally
  3-Add other sectors to this platform by listening to their opinions and involving them in decision-making
  4-Presenting pilot projects to governmental and private institutions and providing them with job opportunities
  5-Providing scholarships for entrepreneurial ideas and benefiting from their experiences and experiences.   Ministry of Economy – Palestine
• Better connect with EU research platforms such as Copernicus, EMODnet, BlueCloud, etc. Focus a large postdoctoral training (Marie Curie) for the Med students, create networks, etc.  Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
• Yes, indeed a platform which allow the private and public actors contributing to Educational process, courses and alternate trainings will be very useful to upskilling and reskilling in the blue economy.  AMFORHT
• Education and awareness is key to improving climate change adaptation and mitigation (Climate Crisis).  Presa Puente Estrecho de Gibraltar, SA
• Un vrai partenariat entre les institutions d’enseignement supérieur, les experts de ce sujet scientifique et les acteurs locaux directement liés aux questions clés de l’économie circulaire.  DynMed Alentejo – Associação para Estudos e Projectos de Desenvolvimento Regional Projectos de Dese
• A ce stade, je pense qu’il faut vulgariser l’économie bleue chez tous les peuples de la méditerranée et surtout chez les étudiants. Aussi, il est important de diffuser la plateforme existante chez les jeunes et le grand public.   Association Tunisienne de l’Ingénierie Côtière, Portuaire et Maritime (ATIM)
• L’importance de parvenir à une définition commune de l’économie bleue ,qui peut inclure ,entre autre ;l’ensemble des activités humaines dépendant de la mer et/ou sous tendues par les interactions terre/mer dans le cadre du développement durable en considérant que la mer est le futur de la terre et inciter  au niveau national et régional à changer et développer les mentalités des jeunes citoyens  à s’orienter vers les métiers de la mer et qui comprend notamment des secteurs de l’industrie et des services tels que l’aquaculture ,la pêche ,les biotechnologies bleues ;le tourisme nautique littoral et maritime ,le transport maritime, la construction, l’architecture et la réparation navale, les ports  ,l’énergie ,des vagues et des houles et l’énergie marine renouvelable ,y compris l’éolien  offshore  ;qui représentent   les principaux secteurs économiques maritimes traditionnels et émergents dans le bassin méditerranéen .L’importance du renforcement des capacités  humaines et de la mobilité des étudiants, des chercheurs et des travailleurs afin d’encourager la création d’emplois bleus ,la mise en place d’un ou plusieurs réseaux et/ou le renforcement des réseaux existants entre les institutions d’éducation ,de formation et de recherches concernées dans les métiers maritimes et de la mer qui répondent aux besoins des professions dédiées ;seraient bénéfiques pour la création de nouveaux cursus ;programmes d’enseignement et professions dans l’économie bleue ;par exemple dans les domaines des nouvelles technologies (la construction et l’architecture navale et les industries nautiques et halieutiques…),de la sécurité maritime  et des gens de mer et l’intelligence bleue  et permettant de stimuler les compétences et l’employabilité dans le bassin méditerranéen.  Cluster Maritime Tunisien
• The creation and strengthening of alliances among stakeholders should be encouraged and an interesting way to do this would be to use the platform and create 3 forums: one for training, one for information exchange and participation, and another for generating joint initiatives among actors who may have similar ideas or projects and facilitating their implementation.  UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA
• Regional NGO networks can play an important role in upskilling and reskilling the sector. Strong awareness raising and capacity building campaign. NGOs has an important role to play to achieve this goal. The Med Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform is the right place to discuss and agree on this campaign. There should be enough resources to enable the active committed partners to get involved in the campaign. PPP is needed to ensure sustainability.  RAED – Arab Network for Environment and Development
• For fighting the Brain Drain; allow me to suggest consulting the HOMERe Programme: it is designed for helping youth employability and retaining skills inside the Mediterranean region through designed approach that engage: educational entity, student, business association and private sector. Again, to “upskill” and “reskill”; this will require to assess through studies / research on ground to understand the current situation and circumstances and required skills to exist inside the institution. The institution can tell more about their future needs. Concerning the training, it might be advisable creating an online platform for training – supported by Multilanguage – allowing usage cross Mediterranean. Still to re-emphasize, training expected outcomes should be directly related to the required skills and competencies to gain.  The-Marketer.net / HOMERe Permanent Secretariat South Shore Mediterranean
• Enhancing employability and particularly of women and youth does not start with upskilling and reskilling but with education “per se”. The lack of awareness is not limited to the existence of tools on reskilling, etc., but on blue economy within the sustainable development concept itself and on the needed conditions and tools to achieve them.
  Then comes, of course, the inadequacy of current Mediterranean Higher Education and vocational training systems to satisfy the needs not only of enterprises but also of public institutions, local authorities and CSOs to support appropriate Governance.
  The Mediterranean Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development (MSESD) endorsed in 2014 by the Ministers of Environment of the UfM and its Action Plan adopted by Ministries of Education in 2016 offer a useful guide framework for specific activities addressing the above issues. There is a need for rapid adaptation of the curricula and the culture of Mediterranean Educational Institutions. The latter should be revisited following consultations with regional (Mediterranean), national and local institutions and stakeholders at all levels. In this exercise the Med Blue Economy Platform may play a useful role.  Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE)
• There should be an exchange program similar to Erasmus Mundus or Leonardo which enhances exchange of students and workers of different regions of the Mediterranean to raise awareness of differences and similiarities between all the areas of the Mediterranean and strengthen links between countries and people. The Med Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform can be the perfect institution to manage and address such a program.  ECONCRETE
• – To integrate blue economy in educational programmes (e.g. schools, universities, etc.)
  – To offer specialized training courses on specific topics of the blue economy sector
  – To support quadruple helix approaches within transversal projects in order to address the needs of private and public sectors
  – MED Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform: it should collect the most relevant results of past and existing projects on blue economy; it should give support in the translation of documents, tools, etc. in order to reach a wider audience in the MED region; a “find your partner” section could be developed where needs and offers of users could be posted.   BETA Tech Center, UVic/UCC – Interreg MED Green Growth
• The Mediterranean Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform could host a “web hub” in which affiliated stakeholders (public sector, institutes, universities, private sector) could announce needs for networking and participation on joined projects addressing all blue economy themes.  REGION WESTERN GREECE
• Involve schools (especially high schools) in all the projects developed in the area.  University of Siena
• The human element is a crucial factor to responsibly unlock the Blue Growth potential of the Mediterranean Sea. The skills gap between the education on offer and the labour market need to be closed by increasing cooperation between academia and industry. The attractiveness of the blue sectors shall be increased too, including towards women, and by means of ocean literacy. A massive exploitation of digital technologies for training purposes, including virtual or augmented reality, can serve these purposes.
  As far as concern the academia, building on the experiences of existing networks, the following aims can be pursued to prepare the next generation of blue-economy scientists, technologist and entrepreneurs: further promote the alignment of high-education curricula, design joint MSc, PhD programs, short-term scientific exchanges.
  The Med Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform can serve from one side to integrate and make accessible the educational offer in the area. From the other, to connect incubators, startups, investors, accelerators, entrepreneurs, corporate networks, universities for increasing innovative blue ecosystems. In addition, the development/integration of an electronic platform for e-mentoring of young start-uppers in blue growth acting like a virtual incubator to create a lively ecosystem of entrepreneurs of innovation, can be explored.   National Research Council of Italy
• Il y a besoin de mettre accent sur l’implication soutenu des femmes dans la prise de décision le mainstreaming du genre , et mieux inciter le secteur privé à contribuer aux actions d’appui et formation des compétences.  Ministère de l’agriculture, pêche maritime, développement durable eaux et forêts: département pêche maritime – Maroc
• Exchange of educational experiences in different countries assists in understanding cultural differences and enhance unity and direction to common goals in the blue economy.   Malta Maritime Forum
• Sharing of best practices and knowledge must be enhanced especially through regular virtual and presential meetings (annual technical workshops for large groups, regular technical exchange visits in small groups).
  A permanent training mechanism could also be set-up (see for example the training mechanism for MPA managers coordinated by MedPAN with MPAs playing the role of “training centers” as they will host regular trainings and benefit from tailored training cursus).   MedPAN, the Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas Network
• – Invest in education and awareness-raising, creating opportunities to develop new Blue Skills at all educational levels, and bridge the gaps between sectors’ demands and labor skills by upgrading skills as well.
  – Public authorities should establish new employment programmes based on the cooperation between industry and education.
  – Strengthening the sense of Mediterranean community belonging is a precondition to motivate people to contribute with their expertise to the sustainable development of Mediterranean areas, and thus a good means to fight against brain drain.
  – Filling the skills gap in blue economy sectors. Local and regional authorities should encourage the creation of new “Blue careers” based on key demanding sectors in the Mediterranean such as sustainable tourism at all levels of education, and should promote worker’s digital, linguistic, managerial, and ecological skills carrying out tailored vocational training.
  – Integrated educational programs, taking in consideration the different sectors of the blue economy shall be implemented (e.g. InnoBlueGrowth Horizontal Interreg MED project’s Summer School – Kotor – 2019), observing a more global approach for what regards Mediterranean territories as a whole. The blue economy sectors are not independent one from another, most of the times intersect or even converge.   Med Blue Growth community
• I’d suggest that making a non-conclusive list of skills as a prerequisite to be listed among “green blue tourism” labeled destinations, as an incentive to seek upskilling and reskilling. Fostering this incentive with a subsidizing program for trainings and capacity building to obtain these new skills, would also guarantee this trend among the blue economy sector’s operators.  Green Community NGO
• -Apporter de nouvelles compétences aux personnels portuaires comme la gestion des déchets, des pollutions mais également des mesures en faveur de la biodiversité.
  -Mettre en œuvre des actions dont les efficiences écologique et financiers reviennent en quasi-totalité sur le territoire concernés (emplois…).  ECOCEAN
• – Former les jeunes entrepreneurs sur l’économie
  -Former les femmes et les jeunes sur les métiers de l’économie bleue qui les permettent de gagner leur vie
  – Donner des avantages en terme de taxation aux entreprises qui se focalisent sur l’économie bleue;    Assistance Communautaire et Développement (ASCOM)
• Ici encore, les NOAH’s Arks sont prévues pour répondre à cela.
  Ces headquaters offrent: incubateurs de start-ups, Blue labs, showroom Blue CleanTecs, plateformes événementielles et de formations. En sus, elles offrent une capacité d’hébergement hôtelières multi budgets.
  A partir de ces NOAH’s Arks, il semble nécessaire d’organiser des formations régulières, thématiques et mobiles de la Blue Economy (R&D, industries, finances, politiques, best practices…).
  Il serait envisageable de créer 4 ou 5 modules spécifiques animés par des experts et players de ces thématiques, favorisant la participation féminine et jeunes diplômés. Ces modules seraient dispensés à tour de rôle dans chacune des NOAH’s Arks du bassin Méditerranéen avec les mêmes animateurs.
  Par exemple, pour chaque NOAH’s Arks, 5 modules, 5x1semaine en alternance avec des stages dans les start-ups incubées pour un diplôme à la clé (type master en Blue economy appliquée).
  Les jeunes auraient en plus, le bénéfice de la constitution d’un réseau d’entrepreneurs, d’experts, de BlueCleanTec et seraient connectés à la plateforme financière. Tous les ingrédients pour réussir la création de nouvelles entreprises ou le soutien aux entreprises déjà incubées.  NOAH ReGen
• -Création de site web ou de forum de discussion gérer par entités professionnelles (public ou privé à identifier) ou par des associations avec la participation de tous les établissements qui offrent des formations en relation avec les secteurs d’activités de l’économie bleue en méditerranée ou on trouvera toutes les offres de formations , les critères d’admissions, les bourses disponibles, les possibilités de stages, les opportunités de mobilités pour les enseignants et les étudiants…..
  -Mettre en place une stratégie de vulgarisation des métiers bleues ;
  -Harmoniser les programmes de formations dans la mesure du possible ;
  -l’adéquation entre l’offre de compétences et la demande du marché des métiers bleues.  IMFMM
• Déjà, dans les politiques des gouvernements, il faut commencer à considérer l’économie bleue comme un axe prioritaire
  Allouer un budget important pour la formation continue dans les secteurs liés à l’économie bleue.  Institut National de Recherche Halieutique
• The Platform of UN Decade of Ocean Science for sustainable Development.  National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries
• Adapt and modernise vocational education and training (VET) and general education systems, but do this on a national basis rather than for the EU as a whole.
  Improve the information provision on skill needs and job requirements.
  Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders and intensify co-operation in education and training.
  Strengthen co-operation in sector-specific training measures to provide flexible and up-todate training offers.
  Facilitate training co-operations between SMEs – to be supported by national training bodies
  and sectoral social partner organisations and supported by public funding, along with dissemination of best practices.
  Enhance flexibility through modularisation of education and training and forms of blended
  learning, i.e. a mixture of different learning media, learning methods and forms supporting
  decentralised, self-directed and efficient learning more independently in time and space
  Conclusions.  Regional Cluster “North-East”
• MED-SATT,
  « ACCÉLÉRATEUR DU TRANSFERT DE TECHNOLOGIES POUR L’ESPACE EURO-MÉDITERRANÉEN »
  Cette initiative, en partenariat actif avec le CMT – Cluster Maritime Tunisien, s’intègre dans le cadre du thème « Compétences Bleues (reskilling et upskilling), carrières et emplois »
  Il s’agit de mettre en place une structure d’interface entre le monde de la recherche et les acteurs économiques opérant dans les secteurs de l’économie bleue;
  Trait d’union entre la recherche académique et les marchés économiques dans la région euro-méditerranéenne, l’organisme MED-SATT a pour vocation de maximiser l’impact socio-économique des résultats de la recherche académique et de favoriser la création d’emplois, en simplifiant, accélérant et en facilitant le transfert de technologies et de connaissances de la recherche publique et privée, vers les entreprises de toute taille. Concrètement, la MED-SATT protège les inventions et les résultats de la recherche et d’innovation créés par diverses structures (universités, laboratoires de recherche, centres d’innovation…), et valorise les résultats issus des programmes de recherche (dépôts de brevets, licences, création de startups…) pour répondre aux besoins spécifiques des entreprises.
  La MED-SATT aura pour objectif de simplifier et de professionnaliser le transfert des innovations issues de la recherche vers les marchés socio-économiques. Elle intervient sur toute la chaîne de transfert, notamment à travers :
  • L’exploration des pistes de coopération potentielles avec les organismes d’accélération et de transfert de technologie nationaux, et la coordination entre les différentes parties prenantes.
  • La mise en place d’une plateforme innovante de réseautage regroupant des entreprises, des clusters et des laboratoires de recherche intervenants dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen et dans les différents secteurs de l’économie bleue.
  •L’Identification de projets innovants à valeur ajoutée, et le positionnement par rapport à la concurrence et au besoin du marché.
  • La protection des résultats de recherche par le dépôt et l’entretien de titres de propriété intellectuelle et industrielle.
  La MED-SATT aura aussi pour mission la valorisation des concepts de la recherche et de développement, auprès des acteurs économiques, qui créent la valeur ajoutée scientifique et technologique.  Setap Tunisie Gérant
• Give more attention to vulnerable people mainly women and youth. Empower artisanal and food industry that embraces mainly women. Also, youth can be trained to be guides in rural and ecotourism activities and artisan Mediterranean culture.  Lebanese University – Green Community
• Avec le soutien initial de l’Union pour la Méditerranée, un forum de débat et de collaboration entre tous les pays méditerranéenssera créé. Les associations nationales et régionales de ports de plaisance, soutenues par les administrations des pays et régionsméditerranéens, permettront de mettre en oeuvre des politiques de génération d’impact socio-économique basées sur l’ÉconomieBleue et développement du secteur nautique, notamment dans les pays de la région sud.   CIPPM
• la création des activités créatrices de l’emploi pour les jeunes et pour les femmes.
  -échange des expériences dans la zone méditerranéenne.  Conseil de la Région de l’Oriental
• In Med Area firstly by MED Programme, Emilia-Romagna Region is working by participating at European network such as Bluemed initiative, wet med initiative and CRPM. We think that it is very important:
  • To optimise the use of MED R&I infrastructures, creating comprehensive maps of existing projects and R&I capacities in the MED Area (especially regarding pilot plants and prototyping) and developing MED platforms and protocols to visualise the relevant information about funding, strategies, programs, actors, projects, results, possibly complemented with open data. Prioritising R&I infrastructures that respond to the challenges and the needs of the territories and promoting networks of R&I infrastructures with a MED logic, guaranteeing the capillarity in the territory. Promoting new forms of governance and new business models for R&I infrastructures and equipment, facilitating access to SMEs, promoting open innovation and optimising their use. Considering technological projects the potential impact on vulnerable groups and territories. Researchers must work closer with users, communities and public administration in order to anticipate the impacts of technological solutions and their potential to respond to social needs.
  • To recognise and enhance the contributions from local communities to MED challenges: working and learning with and for them. Promoting technological and social experimentation at the local level through living labs and other open spaces encouraging citizens’ engagement.Developing and adopting new quantitative and qualitative indicators, indicators and evaluation methodologies for social impact of research and innovation.
  • To articulate MED mechanisms for transnational clusters to identify opportunities and new business opportunities generating social and environmental value, should be done in collaboration with other MED actors working at the local, regional, national and MED levels.
  Blue bioeconomy will play a strategic role in meeting MED challenges since it can improve food security, food safety and people’s wellbeing as well as contribute to non-food applications relevant for a more sustainable lifestyle. Blue bioeconomy is also a promising area in terms of research breakthrough and highly-skilled employment, but to reach its potential it needs significant support in both research and market development and changes in legislation and regulations.
  It is important to strengthen the blue bioeconomy innovation ecosystem in the MED area by promoting the MED smart specialisation in the blue bioeconomy:
  a. To promote a pan-Mediterranean innovation roadmap considering existing strategies and programs;
  b. To promote the collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and practices among actors across the MED area to address MED common challenges. To develop common tools, favouring visibility, transparency and networking within the MED blue bioeconomy ecosystem;
  c. To develop mechanisms to enhance synergies with on-going projects and initiatives dealing with innovation in blue bioeconomy sector (e.g. Bluemed Initiative, S3 platforms, CTE projects, H2020, RIS3, Vanguard Initiative, etc.).
  d. To map R&I infrastructures in the MED area and facilitate transnational access using the already available European network and To map technological solutions to address MED challenges and to identify and elaborate case studies demonstrations of blue biotechnology potentials on specific sectors and products that promote blue bioeconomy.
  e. To promote knowledge transfer from research to business through living labs and regional hubs and other forms of interaction between science, companies, policy makers and society.
  f. To promote new value chains and business opportunities related to the blue bioeconomy contributing to MED challenges. For example, the sustainable production and valorisation of blue bio-resources for the wellbeing of society (functional food, pharmacological and nutraceutical applications, etc.).
  g. To increase and improve the funding mechanisms to support start-ups and SMEs developing new business models and value chains from marine bio-resources, especially in the phases of proof of concept and of upscaling (including transnational investment).
  h. To support knowledge creation and the development of capacities and skills required for the development of the blue bioeconomy sector.
  i. To support the generation of new knowledge about marine biomass and the exploration of marine environment.  CPRM
•  Il faut lancer des évènements des startup dans le domaine de l’économie bleue et renforcer les bonnes initiatives par la mise à leur disposition d’une large gamme d’expertise.  ASSOCIATION DE PROTECTION DU LITTORAL A MAAMOURA – APLM
• Permettre d’installer des antennes de grands centres de recherche mondiaux en bord de méditerranée dans des pays du sud et attirer les cerveaux par des conditions d’installation intéressantes et en favorisant autour de ces hubs internationaux de recherche la formation de personnel qualifié local.  eurorégion Pyrénés Méditerranée
• Il est primordial de faire un partage d’expérience entre les pays de la méditerranée.
  Intégrer des actions écologiques qui peuvent servir d’example pour les autres
  Soutenir l’entrepreneuriat pour autonomisation des femmes et des jeunes.
  Nouer des partenariats avec le secteur privé et les acteurs communautaires pour une meilleure collaboration..  ONG ASSISTANCE COMMUNAUTAIRE et développement ASCOM
• La participation de l’UpM dans la négociation de programmes de gestion directe de l’Union Européenne puis du Fond Social Européen Plus, dans le but de faire présents ces objectifs et de promouvoir les compétences bleues, puis une meilleure coordination avec la Commission Européenne.   Generalitat Valenciana
• – Créer des établissements de formation et d’enseignement dans le but de fournir des ressources humaines à l’économie bleue;
  – Accompagner la transition vers une ceinture bleue par le développement de compétences spécialisées et la définition de la nomenclature des métiers maritimes.   DIRECTION DES PORTS ET DU DOMAINE PUBLIC MARITIME
• In Med Area firstly by MED Programme, Emilia-Romagna Region is working by participating at European network such as Bluemed initiative, wet med initiative and CRPM. We think that it is very important:
  • To optimise the use of MED R&I infrastructures,  creating comprehensive maps of existing projects and R&I capacities in the MED Area (especially regarding pilot plants and prototyping) and developing MED platforms and protocols to visualize the relevant information about funding, strategies, programs, actors, projects, results, possibly complemented with open data. Prioritising R&I infrastructures that respond to the challenges and the needs of the territories and promoting networks of R&I infrastructures with a MED logic, guaranteeing the capillarity in the territory. Promoting new forms of governance and new business models for R&I infrastructures and equipment, facilitating access to SMEs, promoting open innovation and optimising their use. Considering technological projects, the potential impact on vulnerable groups and territories. Researchers must work closer with users, communities and public administration in order to anticipate the impacts of technological solutions and their potential to respond to social needs.
  • To recognise and enhance the contributions from local communities to MED challenges: working and learning with and for them.  Promoting technological and social experimentation at the local level through living labs and other open spaces encouraging citizens’ engagement. Developing and adopting new quantitative and qualitative indicators, indicators and evaluation methodologies for social impact of research and innovation.
  • To articulate MED mechanisms for transnational clusters to identify opportunities and new business opportunities generating social and environmental value, should be done in collaboration with other MED actors working at the local, regional, national and MED levels.
  Blue bioeconomy will play a strategic role in meeting MED challenges since it can improve food security, food safety and people’s wellbeing as well as contribute to non-food applications relevant for a more sustainable lifestyle. Blue bioeconomy is also a promising area in terms of research breakthrough and highly skilled employment, but to reach its potential it needs significant support in both research and market development and changes in legislation and regulations.
  It is important to strengthen the blue bioeconomy innovation ecosystem in the MED area by promoting the MED smart specialisation in the blue bioeconomy (letters from a. to i.):
  a. To promote a pan-Mediterranean innovation roadmap considering existing strategies and programs;
  b. To promote the collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and practices among actors across the MED area to address MED common challenges. To develop common tools, favouring visibility, transparency and networking within the MED blue bioeconomy ecosystem;
  c. To develop mechanisms to enhance synergies with on-going projects and initiatives dealing with innovation in blue bioeconomy sector (e.g. Bluemed Initiative, S3 platforms, CTE projects, H2020, RIS3, Vanguard Initiative, etc.).
  d. To map R&I infrastructures in the MED area and facilitate transnational access using the already available European network and To map technological solutions to address MED challenges and to identify and elaborate case studies demonstrations of blue biotechnology potentials on specific sectors and products that promote blue bioeconomy.
  e. To promote knowledge transfer from research to business through living labs and regional hubs and other forms of interaction between science, companies, policy makers and society.
  f. To promote new value chains and business opportunities related to the blue bioeconomy contributing to MED challenges. For example, the sustainable production and valorisation of blue bio-resources for the wellbeing of society (functional food, pharmacological and nutraceutical applications, etc.).
  g. To increase and improve the funding mechanisms to support start-ups and SMEs developing new business models and value chains from marine bio-resources, especially in the phases of proof of concept and of upscaling (including transnational investment).
  h. To support knowledge creation and the development of capacities and skills required for the development of the blue bioeconomy sector.
  i. To support the generation of new knowledge about marine biomass and the exploration of marine environment.  Emilia-Romagna Region
• A strong participatory multi-level approach should be used to support the necessary development and upgrade of skills, careers and employment in the field of Blue Economy and bridge the gaps between sectors’ demands and labour skills.
  Local and regional actors can help in this process (e.g. Regional Youth Councils), contributing to promote the potential of blue skills, adapting specific actions to the different contexts and sectors of the Mediterranean. For example, local and regional authorities should encourage the creation of new “Blue careers” based on key demanding sectors in the Mediterranean such as sustainable tourism at all levels of education, and should promote worker’s digital, linguistic, managerial, and ecological skills carrying out tailored vocational training.
  Dedicated integrated educational programs, taking in consideration the different sectors of the blue economy shall be implemented, observing a more global approach for what regards Mediterranean territories as a whole. Good examples of transnational trainings and summer schools (e.g. Vasco da Gama, Interreg MED Blue Growth Community, etc.) allowed fruitful exchanges and learning processes among a variety of stakeholders coming from different backgrounds.
  From these experiences, one can see that ensuring a mix of actors during trainings is also a way to create networking and environments for the youth to interact with professionals that can represent potential employment opportunities. Foresting these kinds of mixed-actor trainings over the Mediterranean is essential to keep building a common understanding of the Mediterranean socio-economic tissue, while promoting the diversity of blue jobs.
  In this sense, strengthening the sense of Mediterranean community belonging is a precondition to motivate people to contribute with their expertise to the sustainable development of Mediterranean areas, and thus a good means to fight against brain drain to non-Mediterranean countries (and therefore for the better development of the basin itself).
  Equally, it is important to foster the attractiveness of blue economy employment opportunities for young people and women, which also implies a further promotion of the sector, including financial provisions to create opportunities and investments in education at all levels, with the support of public-private partnerships.  Intermediterranean Commission of CPMR
• The most relevant drivers of change refer to demographic factors (ageing, declining population, social diversity), income situation, increasing global competition and market segmentation, global and regional production networks, labour and environmental regulations new services and technological innovation.
  Across all job functions soft skills will become increasingly important, especially so for high skilled professional job functions. The general trend of upskilling across job functions is bound to continue in the coming years. Certain knowledge – notably e-skills – will become more important. Emerging competences of higher skilled jobs mostly refer to how to learn, communicate, interact and adapt to changing environments in addition to a high-quality education. Emerging competences in medium-educated job functions that mostly execute defined tasks and processes refer mostly to specific knowledge sets that can be taught through learning.
  Rather than focusing on one single solution, a set of linked strategic choices will in most cases be the best strategy to follow. Prioritising both in time (what first, where to follow up) and in allocation of resources (including budgetary focus) followed by further fine-tuning is a clear necessity to guarantee that skills needs are targeted and solved.   Association “Forum”
• 1. Support the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to generate and use knowledge for the action needed to achieve a healthy, safe and resilient oceans and seas for sustainable development.
  2. Empower women, as they play critical role in progressing towards a sustainable ocean- and sea-based economy and are key to achieving SDG 14;
  3. Ensure that children, youth and adults are empowered with relevant knowledge and skills that enable them to understand the importance of and the need to contribute to the health of the Mediterranean Sea through promoting and supporting quality education and life-long learning for ocean literacy, as well as specialized ocean science curricula and training and related employment opportunities;
  4. Ensure solid environmental education at all levels in maritime training sectors, in both traditional and emerging fields, and invest in education and awareness-raising, creating opportunities to develop new Blue Skills at all educational levels, and bridge the gaps between sectors’ demands and labor skills.
  5. Ensure that new blue skills are spread to smaller stakeholders, including small and medium businesses, individual entrepreneurs and young people, and promote synergies between research/innovation and entrepreneurs to develop new blue skills.   UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention
• “Being able to take advantage of experiences and projects already consolidated in these themes that have their development in the countries of the Mediterranean basin, seems to be the best way forward.The mapping of regional initiatives, projects and programmes developing in the region should be one of the desiderata to be considered within the scientific technical institutions of the UTM. Perhaps a good example to take into account could be the city of Piraeus which created the Piraeus Blue Growth Initiative (BGI) which addresses the issues of structured entrepreneurship and promotes a competition for innovation that focuses on the marine and maritime economy”.   CCDRAlentejo