Researchers must remain in touch with technical developments in order to provide solutions to industry. Such up-skilling must be subject-specific but equally important (see the TUNING initiative) are the generic skills. Essential though they are in today’s world, they are not usually part of course provision. Vocational Aqualabs focuses on generic skill provision to aquaculture researchers at all stages of their career offering flexible learning pathways for skill acquisition. The project builds on 1 past successful projects and links to 3 others, the lasts 2 still running and all led by AQUATT (P1); 1. LDV WAVE (Validation of Working Experience in Aquaculture) which created a Master list of competences/skills in 10 European languages, including surveying 90 fish farms in 10 countries, and validated by the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) 2. FP6, Marie Curie Training Courses - Aqualabs. 6 high level technical training courses for young researchers with 1 very successful short workshop focussing on generic research skills. 3.European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Project, VALLA (Validation of All Lifelong Learning in Aquaculture) which is to provide an occupational map and also examine how the resulting competence-based learning outcomes can be evaluated and how short trainings can be accredited. 4. Lifelong Learning Programme - Erasmus Thematic Network, AQUA-TNET 2008-11 in aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic resource management. WP4, “Generic Skills and competences approaches” will review best practice in postgraduate programmes, sharing its findings with the network. Vocational Aqualabs will expand the WAVE master list, identifying the generic skills needed in aquaculture research, by consulting all stakeholders. Researchers will be surveyed to find out whether they possess the skills identified and at what level. Modules will be developed to fill the gaps, using a skill/competency/learning outcome based approach. Existing national/international credit procedures will be used in accrediting the modules which will be piloted by the researchers originally surveyed.