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Linking maritime education with the changing job market for a new generation of Baltic Sea experts (Generation BALT)
Start date: Jun 30, 2011, End date: Oct 30, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

In order to stay competitive and cope with the environmental problems of the Baltic Sea, the maritime sector of the South Baltic region has to undergo a shift from industry- to knowledge- and innovation based economy. The New Maritime Sector is a current term, but we prefer to call it a CHANGING maritime sector. To achieve this change, there is a growing need for skilled engineers, researchers and educated leaders, both on board and onshore, who can cover demand for smart technical and managerial solutions and strict requirements on environmental protection.Unfortunately, most of the current academic programmes in the region do not sufficiently prepare their graduates for these challenges and opportunities. As a result, many of the marine-related graduates (MSc, MA, BSc, BA, and also engineers of narrow specialisations), cannot find employment in their profession. The Generation BALT project is a cooperation of higher education institutions and maritime business associations from Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Sweden and Russia, which want to and connect their potential to boost the SB regions innovation-based maritime economy, by means of upgrading and harmonising the maritime curricula. In order to create a study programme exactly fitting to the needs of the labour market, chosen segments of the SB maritime economy will be thoroughly analysed, and foresight of future trends will be made. On the basis of the resulting synthesis, tailored-made activities will be planned. Main project activity will be the joint Generation BALT Supplementary Study Programme, covering 5 weekend courses and a summer school, designed around the maritime sectors with largest development potential identified by the foresight. Target group are skilled and ambitious last-grade students and unemployed graduates from the SB region. Tutors will be the most distinguished in their area, international experts and researchers, as well as invited guests from business and maritime authorities. In course of intensive match-making activities participants will have a chance to meet their potential employers, arrange an internship and possibly a job.The Programme will mark the birth of the international elite, ‘new generation’ of Baltic Sea professionals: engineers, lawyers, economists and scientists who contribute to the Region’s economy not only with their excellent skills, but also holistic understanding of the Baltic Sea, its problems and socio-economic and natural interdependencies. In order to support the Generation BALT Programme not only in this pilot run, a durable triple helix co-operation will be created between higher education institutions, other authorities, business associations and SMEs of the maritime sector. Achievements: The GB project started in July 2011. After the clarification process the Subsidy contract (25.08.2011) and Partnership agreements (last 08.11.2011) including all annexes were signed. The content work started directly. Detailed work, individual spending plans, cash-flow forecasts and communication plan were prepared. Graphic company designed elements of the project identity: logo, PP presentation, leaflets and webpage design. In September 2011 the kick-off conference was organized in Gdynia. Further working strategy was decided and members of the project advisory group were chosen. The work on the Foresight study started in autumn 2011aiming to find desirable structure of the Supplementary Study programme. Using a unified questionnaire the forecast of maritime sectors and lacking skills in SB regions were mapped as well as a shortage in educational offer. Regional analyses of maritime labor markets in partners countries has started. GB project established a cooperation with the SB Professionals project by having bilateral meetings at Rostock (2012) and attending SBP meetings and workshops (SBP Career days etc.). Harmonized actions are planned for 2013 in connection with the GB study programme.The 2nd project meeting was held in Rostock in March 2012. Invited speakers presented their views on future demands and development of maritime sector. Workshops were held and important decisions were taken by the advisory group on the Foresight study and the GB Study. The 3rd project meeting was held in Szczecin in October 2012, together with an external event presenting the project progress and the study programme. A new leaflet and poster for the Study programme were design and distributed. Recruitment of participants started; incl. on line registrations through the webpage. Outline of the GB movie prepared, filming company contacted and realization during 2013. During the summer 2012 the Foresight team compile and finalize the study. All regional studies as well as the Foresight of the SB maritime labour market 2017 are now finalized and available through the project webpage and published. Based on these documents 5 modules and the summer school (curricula and logistic) were decided. The 4th project meeting was held in Kalmar in April 2013. Contact with companies for internships started. Between February and July 2013, 5 weekend courses/modules were held in Rostock, Kalmar, Klaipeda, Szczecin and Gdansk. The Summer Course was successfully accomplished in September 2013. Some of the participants have started their internships at a maritime company. The project was presented at different maritime events, e.g., the project was invited to Brussels to present during the OPEN Days 2013. The 5th project meeting was held in Klaipeda in November 2013 with focus on accomplishing the internships and establishing the Maritime Alliance. The 6th project meeting was hold in February 2014 in Rostock with decision to prolong the project until 31.10.2014.This request was grounded by JTS together with change of some indicators. Within prolongation new summer course was held in Miedzyzdroje and module in Gdansk. Letter of Intent between members of the Maritime Alliance was signed. Project was presented during EU Maritime Day in Bremen on 19.05.2014.Projects achievements were comprehensively published in Compendium and presented during 7th and final conference in Rostock (25.09.2014). Another event which presented the GB project was academic conference in Gdynia on 09.10.2014.
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  • 83.2%   1 665 375,58
  • 2007 - 2013 South Baltic (PL-SE-DK-LT-DE)
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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