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UNIVERSITY- BUSINESS COLLABORATION ON RESEARCH, TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION FOR
BLUE GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE TOURISM, IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EU-FUNDED PROJECT
‘Northeast MELTEMI: The Breath of Archipelagos'
Dr Fani Galatsopoulou & Dr Clio Kenterelidou
fgal@jour.auth.gr ckent@jour.auth.gr
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GREECE)
INTED 2019 - 13th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference
11th-13th of March, Valencia, Spain
University and Business cooperation
contributes to a knowledge society and has
multiple benefits for both academic and
business area.
Each part has its motivation, but mutual
commitment and common goals facilitate
collaboration and foster creativity,
innovation and successful outcomes.
By focusing on the EU-funded project ‘North
East Meltemi: the breath of the Archipelago’
of the European Programme ‘Nautical
Routes for Europe’ (EASME/ EMFF), we
reveal how a triple partnership of one
University and two Enterprises (SMEs) can
collaborate and respond successfully to the
European strategy for blue growth, nautical
tourism and sustainable development. This
triple collaboration will lead to the co-
creation of an innovative touristic product.
•‘Sea and Sun’ is not enough for Blue Growth and Sustainable Tourism
•Coastal areas need sustainable models for tourism development
•Tourism industry still lacks innovation
•Tourism professionals need new skills
•Many tourism products of low quality
•Seniors and disable people still excluded
Blue Growth, a high priority EU strategy which aims to:
•Employ the untapped potential of Europe’s oceans, seas and coasts for jobs and growth
•Provide ideas, innovation and opportunities for low impact on the maritime ecosystem,
the aquaculture and the coastal environment
•Contribute to the wealth and well-being of coastal regions.
EU Strategy
The Solution
A University- Business Collaboration is necessary to:
•Suggest innovative and smart products
•Diversify coastal, maritime tourism
•Explore environmentally sustainable models
•Promote new skills and innovation
•Train professionals
•Lift barriers for disable people and seniors
•Raise and build awareness for ocean-related issues
University-Business Collaboration (UBC)
•University-Business Collaboration (UBC) is a strong policy priority for the
European Commission and is supported through many initiatives.
•UBC creates a more sustainable, adaptable European market.
•Helps to respond to the increased global competition, financial issues,
unemployment.
BENEFITS for all
aligning curricula and the skills of
graduates with the labour market
improve employment
pathways for students
recruitment for employers
lifelong learning for business
Innovation
practice-oriented insights
high-quality research
The case of the
EU-funded Meltemi Project
A good practice of a university-business collaboration. It is a triple partnership of two (2)
Small-Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and one (1) University and brings together two (2)
continents (Europe and Asia) and two (2) countries (Greece and Turkey).
MELTEMI Project:
- proposes, creates and communicates a sustainable model of nautical tourism
- combines sailing itineraries with watersports, nautical/coastal experiences, and
aquaculture
- enriches the nautical travels with experiences, explorations and sustainable actions
through a human-centered approach
- makes the travelers part of the travel destination ecosystem. This ecosystem includes the
local community, the local economy, the local natural environment, and the local cultural
heritage.
Meltemi is SMART & BLUE
What?
The proposed Plan is to:
•Create at least 4 Sailing Itineraries (Water Sports/ Nautical
Routes in NE Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey
•Design ‘extra curriculum’ activities (maritime history,
tradition, local cuisine, health and wellbeing)
•Create eco-friendly/ environmentally sustainable products
•Buy local, employ local
•Train the Nautical Routes professionals
•Build a network of partners
A triple partnership of 1 University and 2 SMEs
Who?
Where?
RESEARCH
All stages of the project /For the
design and development of the
product/market analysis/ coastal
tourism market mapping/ field
research/pilot implementation/
product validation
TRAINING
Training the Nautical Routes multiskilled
professionals (knowledge of seamanship
and navigation, language and
communication skills, risk management
skills, skills for providing excellent guest
service) .
COMMUNICATI
ON
Increase awareness and
knowledge about Nautical Tourism
and Blue Growth/ interact with
locals/ build synergies for future
cooperation
How?
UNI-SMEs
collaboration
UNI-SMEs
collaboration
Lessons learned
All stages of the project required equal contribution from all
partners and continuous collaboration and management.
During the project, both university and business realized the
benefits of the university-business collaboration.
Shared goals and mutual commitment facilitated successful
cooperation while informal contacts and meetings cultivated
a working environment of trust and understanding.
The exchange of knowledge and ideas was inspiring and
useful for both sides as it fulfilled the requirements of the
action planned and delivered outcomes of good quality.
Business partners appreciated the contribution of the
Academia and the project outcomes and offered the
opportunity for a long-term partnership for training and
internships and joint experiential projects involving students,
employees and trainees with many benefits for all.
Full paper of the presentation:
Galatsopoulou, F., Kenterelidou, C., (2019) University- Business Collaboration on research, training and
communication for Blue Growth and Sustainable Tourism, in the framework of the EU-funded Project ‘NE
MELTEMI: THE BREATH OF ARCHIPELAGOS’, INTED2019 Proceedings ISBN:978-84-09-08619-1
EASME/EMFF/2016/1.2.1.12/03/SI2.765242
Nautical Routes for Europe
W: http://www.aegeanmeltemi.com
F:https://www.facebook.com/AegeanMeltemi @AegeanMeltemi
T: https://twitter.com/aegeanmeltemi #AegeanMeltemi
Ι: https://www.instagram.com/aegean_meltemi
YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsqke5XP9WlGPasISv7J7QQ