AQUA-TNET NEWSLETTER

September 2013

This is a free e-mail news service provided by Aqua-tnet for the Aqua-tnet network and its partners. Aqua-tnet is the European Thematic Network in the field of aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic resources management, funded under the European Commission Lifelong Learning Programme, from 2011 - 2014.

In the newsletter you will find an update of Aqua-tnet and its activities, as well as information from the European Commission related to European education matters.

Please forward this newsletter to your colleagues and students. Please submit any relevant information for dissemination in the newsletter to aquatnet@aquatt.ie

CONTENTS

AQUA-TNET NEWS

PROGRAMMES, COURSES & PEOPLE
RESEARCH & EDUCATION

OTHER

AQUA-TNET CALENDAR
AQUATT TRAINING NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
PISCESTT JOBS

 

AQUA-TNET NEWS

Aqua-tnet Representation at EATiP Annual Meeting

The fifth Annual Meeting of the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATiP) was held in Brussels from 10-11 September 2013. With formal recognition by the EC now complete, this platform is an increasingly important forum for integrating efforts towards greater innovation within the European aquaculture sector. A photo report on the meeting is now available on the EATiP website. Aqua-tnet has an important contribution to make to the EATiP Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), particularly within Thematic Area 6 – Knowledge Management, Goal 4 – “Foster and build the human capital of the European aquaculture sector”.

Last minute circumstances prevented John Bostock (Aqua-tnet coordinator) from attending the meeting, but he was able to make a virtual presentation via YouTube which stressed the importance of greater engagement between industry and academia for relevant and accessible lifelong learning opportunities. In addition, Catherine Pons gave a presentation on our work with ESCO (European Skills/Competences, qualifications and Occupations), particularly with the Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Reference Group. As part of the EATiP secretariat and member of the Aqua-tnet WP5 and WP6 working groups, Catherine will be well placed to help foster the closer collaboration discussed at the meeting.

BACK TO TOP

Aqua-tnet Scoop.it! Page

Do any of these headlines grab your interest?

  • “Educating seafood industry about R&D management”
  • “Google and edX Create a MOOC site for the Rest of Us”
  • “Giving Students Feedback With Kaizena (Voice Comments) Tutorial”
  • “100 Great Game Based Learning and Gamification Resources”
  • “Reducing Stress | The Mindful PhD”
  • “First Aquaculture Learning Centre from Aquaculture without Frontiers”
  • “Embed Video with Google Drive – A useful tip for teachers”

If so, check our new “Scoop.it!” page which provides links to interesting articles around the web.

BACK TO TOP

Dates Announced for Next Aqua-tnet Steering Group Meeting

The next Aqua-tnet Steering Group meeting has been announced for 13-14 January 2014 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Work Package leaders and other members should have received further details and instructions for registering.

BACK TO TOP

Aqua-tnet on Google+

For all social networking addicts: Keep us company and access unique content by following Aqua-tnet on Google+: plus.google.com/114873751064732780269

BACK TO TOP

Aqua-tnet WP5 Meeting in Frankfurt

As anticipated, there was lively and useful discussion of the topics under consideration at the WP5 Meeting held in Frankfurt, Germany, on 16-17 September 2013. The meeting was attended by representatives from the three WP5 subgroups, WP2, WP6 and WP9.

The plenary sessions thrashed out major issues concerning the venue and timing of the projected workshops.  An exciting programme has been planned to help members get up to date and up to speed on some of the most useful IT developments for involving students in active learning (though online and virtual). Familiarity and confidence with these IT tools will also be of benefit in reaching out to the general public.

Aqua-tnet members will shortly be invited to participate in an online survey to determine which of the proposed topics is of most interest, or of most use, to them.

Participation in the hands-on two-day ICT Workshop will be limited to around 25 Aqua-tnet members. Watch this space for more details of the proposed programmes!

The group also covered details of the delayed Flexible Learning Pathways Workshop, which is now likely to be held alongside next year’s Annual Event. A stimulating presentation revealed surprising similarities between conventional fish farming course development and Agatha Christie’s narrative structure: (i) Scene/Environment (ii) Collection of information/data; (iii) Murder/slaughter of fish; (iv) Gathering evidence; (v) Conclusions; (vi) Reader/Customer satisfaction.

The identification of IT needs for PhD courses led to an in-depth discussion on methods employed in two widely-separated regions of Europe, the North Atlantic Fisheries College in Shetland (the most northerly) and the Open University in Portugal (southwestern Europe). The sharing of the combined experiences of these two group members with WP2 should lead to the inclusion of innovatory ideas and solutions for the PhD group.

Other points: (i) the Special Issue was also discussed in detail and recommendations made to the Coordinator; (ii) the Language game was expanded and refined in English and French, with plans to develop it further in Portuguese, Greek, Polish and Turkish; (iii) the WP6 representative reported on a meeting with the project officer concerning Sectoral Skills Alliances and their relevance to the future of the network.

- Margaret Eleftheriou (WP5)

BACK TO TOP

PROGRAMMES, COURSES & PEOPLE

To search for PhD, MSc and mobility opportunities and courses and to access information on your colleagues in Aqua-tnet3, please visit the Aqua-tnet Education Gate. If you have any further additions or would like to make changes to your institution's information please contact Marieke Reuver at marieke@aquatt.ie

If you are a graduate and would like to post your request for an internship, or your company is seeking interns, please visit www.aquatnet.com/index.php/167/internships. 

 

 

 

 

BACK TO TOP

RESEARCH & EDUCATION

Commission Launches Plan to Boost Digital Skills in Schools and Universities

Opening up Education is an action plan by the Commision to tackle digital problems which are hampering schools and universities from delivering high quality education and producing digital skills focuses on three main areas:

  • Creating opportunities for organisations, teachers and learners to innovate;
  • Increased use of Open Educational Resources (OER), ensuring that educational materials produced with public funding are available to all; and
  • Better ICT infrastructure and connectivity in schools.

To kick-off the initiative, the Commission launched a new website, Open Education Europa on 25 September 2013, which will allow students, educators and educational institutions to share free-to-use open educational resources.

Click HERE to learn more about Opening up Education.

BACK TO TOP

European MOOCs Scoreboard

The aim of the Open Education Europe MOOC scoreboard is to highlight the huge potential that European institutions have in the world of MOOCs and to help visualise this potential by compiling the existing European-provided MOOCs available on different open websites.  Anyone with additional sources or updates is welcome to contribute to the MOOC scoreboard by contacting Open Education Europa.

BACK TO TOP

Open Praxis Vol. 5 Issue 3 Now Available

Open Praxis is a peer-reviewed open access scholarly journal focusing on research and innovation in open, distance and flexible education. It is published by the International Council for Open and Distance Education - ICDE. The aim of Open Praxis is to provide a forum for global collaboration and discussion of issues in the practice of distance and e-learning. This issue (Vol 5, No 3 (2013)) of Open Praxis focuses on innovative ways of assessing student's performance in open, distance and flexible education. 

BACK TO TOP

Social Media Policy vs Guideline vs Best Practice in Higher Education

“Social media use and understanding is no longer an option in education.  Some higher education institutions may have been slower than others, but overall one can see that social media has become part of the fabric of a college campus.  Not just in student use, but in marketing, community relations, student life, classroom activities and alumni engagement.” Read this full article by Josie Ahlquist HERE.

BACK TO TOP

Call for Abstracts for OER14 and Call for Papers for OCWC Global 2014 Conference

The fifth International Conference on Open Education (OER14) will be hosted by Newcastle University at the Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, on 28-29 April 2014. This year's conference will focus on open educational resources (OER) as a catalyst for building communities of open practice. The call for abstracts is now open. Abstracts will be accepted via the online submission system until 22 November 2013. For more information, visit: www.oer14.org.

OER14 is to be held in collaboration with the 10th annual OpenCourseWare Consortium (OCWC) Global Conference 2014 which will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 23-25 April 2014. The OCWC and the Knowledge for All Foundation are jointly organising the event with the special theme: Open Education for a Multicultural World. Submissions of papers on all topics related to open education and proposals for workshops are currently being accepted. The deadline for submission of proposals and papers is 1 December 2013. Click HERE for more information. 

BACK TO TOP

Aquaculture Research Infrastructures Video Now Available

A short video has been produced which provides an introduction to the AQUAEXCEL (Aquaculture infrastructures for excellence in European fish research) project. AQUAEXCEL aims to integrate key aquaculture research infrastructures across Europe, in order to promote their coordinated use and development. The video, which aims to raise awareness of the project, can be viewed via www.vimeo.com/73756927 or by visiting the AQUAEXCEL project website: www.aquaexcel.eu

Last Chance to apply for FREE AQUAEXCEL Training Opportunity

As part of its objectives, the AQUAEXCEL project has organised four free training courses that focus on different aspects of aquaculture experimentation. Applications are currently being accepted for the third of these courses, The Application of Chromosome Set Manipulations and the Importance of Gamete Collection and Management in Aquaculture, which will be hosted by the Institute of Aquaculture (IoA) at University of Stirling, Scotland, on 18-22 November 2013. Course attendance is free, thanks to EC Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) funding. Participants are expected to pay for their own travel, subsistence and accommodation. Applicants are requested to submit their CV and a brief letter outlining their motivation for wanting to attend the course. Deadline for applications is 4 October 2013. For more information and online registration, please visit www.aquaexcel.eu/training_courses. 

BACK TO TOP

Reclaiming Wetlands for Aquaculture: Upcoming Stakeholder Event in Seville

The SEAFARE project will hold a one-day stakeholder event in the Instituto de Investigacion y Formacion Agraria y Pesquera (IFAPA) in Seville, Spain, on 30 October 2013. The event will focus on the potential benefits of implementing wetland aquaculture in the Gulf of Cadiz area and aims to address policy makers, environmental managers and fish producers from Spain and Portugal.

The morning session will include a series of presentations outlining the work carried out by the SEAFARE project and the main outputs of the project relating to integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems, fish polyculture and the ecosystem services that this type of aquaculture can offer to society. The morning will finish with a round table session during which policy makers and environmental managers will have the chance to ask more detailed questions about the specificities of wetlands aquaculture systems.

The event will include a visit to the facilities of Veta la Palma in the afternoon. Veta la Palma is an aquaculture farm located on an island in the Guadalquivir River, 10 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, and is a good example of how aquaculture can be used as a driver for wetland reconstruction. The attendees will have the opportunity to see for themselves how beneficial the implementation of wetlands aquaculture in the region can be from both economic and ecological perspectives.

For more information about this event or the SEAFARE project, please contact Federico Cardona Pons, AquaTT (email: federico@aquatt.ie Tel: +353 1 644 9008) or visit www.seafareproject.eu

BACK TO TOP

New FORCE Project Brochure Now Available

Information about the FORCE (Fisheries and Aquaculture-Oriented Research Capacity in Egypt) project is now available in a new brochure.

Since its launch in November 2011, the FORCE project has progressed significantly in its objectives to strengthen the capacity of the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries of Egypt (NIOF) to carry out research activities aimed at supporting the implementation of science-based policies for the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture in Egypt, as well as in the whole Mediterranean North African region.

The new FORCE brochure contains information about the project’s background, objectives, structure, outputs to date and planned future activities. Further detailed information about the project can be found on its website www.forceproject.eu.

BACK TO TOP

2FISH Partners to Discuss Exploitation of Training Courses for the Fisheries Sector

Partners from the EU-funded project 2FISH will meet in Dublin, Ireland, on 15 October 2013 to discuss the testing and exploitation of six newly developed training courses aimed at the fisheries sector. The training course modules are currently being evaluated and tested by enterprises in each of the partner countries. Plans for a final conference, which will take place in Italy in 2014, where the final modules will be presented to key stakeholders for uptake, will also be finalised during the meeting. Subject areas include; Business law concerning fishery related businesses, Quality management in seafood production, Traceability of fisheries products, Developing a new seafood product, Fundraising for the production development in the fisheries sector and Fishing tourism and boat carpentry.

The final modules will be freely available in all partner languages (English, Spanish, Italian, Danish and Norwegian) from the 2FISH project website. To keep up-to-date with the latest activities join the LinkedIn group and Facebook group.

BACK TO TOP

AquaTT Research Project Management Training Workshop – November 2013 Dates Announced

AquaTT are pleased to announce the November dates for its popular Research Project Management Training Workshop. The workshop will take place from 26 to 28 November 2013 in the AquaTT offices based in Dublin.

With twenty-one years of experience in EC-funded research projects, AquaTT as part of its Mentoring, Training and Advisory Services has devised a robust three-day Research Project Management Training Workshop primarily aimed at Researchers and Communications and Project Officers. This practical three-day training workshop will focus on capacity building and will provide participants with (i) an understanding of the lifecycle of EC-funded research projects, (ii) a skillset to increase their ability to efficiently project manage their work, and (iii) the opportunity to apply these skills to real issues that occur in research projects. The training will be provided by several experienced AquaTT trainers and will encompass real case studies and scenarios.

The agenda briefly entails:
Day 1: Setting the Scene - providing a framework for the management of research projects from policy drivers during the application phase to internal relationships during the implementation phase
Day 2: Skill-based learning - equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to understand the key challenges involved in project and financial management and also focusing on relationship management
Day 3: Applied Project Management and Project Sustainability - providing tools to successfully manage a research project while taking into consideration key issues, including performance measurement of project outputs and outcomes. The programme will conclude with an exploration of how to achieve and maintain success in the EC-funded research project environment.

For further information please see the workshop flyer. If you are interested in attending please contact AquaTT Project Officer Olivia Daly (olivia@aquatt.ie). There are a limited number of places so an early indication of your interest is recommended.

BACK TO TOP

Workshop Explores Route Towards a 'Blue Society'

Stakeholders and 'influencers' in the Irish marine food sector gathered in Ballymaloe Country House Hotel, Co Cork, Ireland, on 18-20 September to discuss the barriers and solutions to a sustainable marine food industry for Ireland as part of the EU FP7 Sea for Society Project. You can read about the workshop in detail on the Sea for Society Irish blog, which can be found at: seaforsociety-ireland.blogspot.ie

Further information on the Sea for Society project can be found on www.seaforsociety.eu. 

The third Sea for Society Consortium Meeting and the second Steering Committee Meeting took place in Lisbon, Portugal, from 30 September-3 October 2013. Both meetings were hosted by the SFS partner Ciência Viva. The meetings gathered all 28 Sea for Society partners and associated partners to discuss the status of the project.

BACK TO TOP

Major New Publication on Integration of Activities in the European Coastal Zone

A significant new publication on integration of activities in the European coastal zone is now available. Guidance on a Better Integration of Aquaculture, Fisheries, and other Activities in the Coastal Zone: from tools to practical examples provides a comprehensive assessment of the conflicts and synergies between fisheries, aquaculture and other activities in the coastal zones of six case study areas: Hardangarfjord (Norway); Atlantic coast areas (Ireland and France); the Adriatic Sea coast (Italy); the Algarve coast (Portugal); the Coastal North Sea (Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands); and the Baltic Sea (Finland).

The publication arises from the FP7-funded COEXIST project, which aimed to provide a roadmap for achieving better integration, sustainability and cooperation across the diverse activities now taking place in the European coastal zone. The project has now finished and the results will provide a framework to assist with the resolution of the existing and future conflicts related to interactions between aquaculture, fisheries and other sectors, and will contribute to the sustainable development of coastal zones at local and regional levels.

Guidance on a Better Integration of Aquaculture, Fisheries, and other Activities in the Coastal Zone: from tools to practical examples is a major output of the project and will be of significant interest to stakeholders in aquaculture, fisheries, coastal zone management, spatial planning, tourism, and energy, as well as policy makers.

The publication accounts for the views and expectations of stakeholders and includes descriptions of methods and tools that have been applied and tested across the case studies in order to answer specific questions addressing economic, ecological and social dimensions in marine spatial planning.

To download an electronic copy of Guidance on a Better Integration of Aquaculture, Fisheries, and other Activities in the Coastal Zone: from tools to practical examples and to access further information about the COEXIST project, please visit www.coexistproject.eu.

For press queries, or to request a hard copy of the publication, please contact Niamh Dornan, Communications Officer, AquaTT (niamh@aquatt.ie Tel: +353 1 644 9008).

BACK TO TOP

OTHER

International Aquafeed Magazine Expert Topic: Salmon

The newest expert topic of International Aquafeed Magazine is salmon. The issue includes a report on the formation of the Global Salmon Initiative with exclusive comment from Ygnve Myhre, CEO, Salmar, and Chris Ninnes of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. Click HERE to read the full section of articles.

BACK TO TOP

Pioneering Integrated Fish, Poultry and Rice Farming in Nigeria

The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) and University of Ibadan (UI) have advocated integration of aquaculture, poultry and rice farming, especially for smallholder farmers, to maximise cost-saving benefits, which include low input cost, waste conversion and utilisation, one-stop hunger solution and environmental friendliness. Read the full story HERE.

BACK TO TOP

Whiskey Feed a Boost to Sustainable Salmon Aquaculture

The whisky and salmon industries in Scotland are about to embark on an innovative new partnership which will convert waste from whisky production into feed for salmon and fish farming. Read more HERE.

BACK TO TOP

Virtual Marine Scientist

The Virtual Marine Scientist project aims to familiarise students (16‐19 years) with the concrete conditions in which scientists work and research is carried out. In this virtual environment, students discover how to design and run experiments in environmental science. Virtual Marine Scientist offers a stimulating context in which to learn about experimental work, including elements of cooperation and problem solving. Click HERE to learn more.

BACK TO TOP

Scotland's Aquaculture Website

Aquaculture is an industry of growing importance in Scotland, providing valuable jobs and income for the economy. The Scottish aquaculture industry is regulated with a view to promoting food safety, compliance with legislation and sustainability. Scotland’s Aquaculture website has been developed in partnership with Marine Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, The Food Standards Agency in Scotland, and The Crown Estate. This website is designed to give a single point of access to aquaculture information held by the main regulators of the Scottish aquaculture industry.

BACK TO TOP

Novus Internship up for Grabs

Novus International is offering the chance for an aquaculture student to take part in the Novus World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Internship programme in Vietnam. The four-week internship will be scheduled from June to August, 2014. The intern will work with The Novus Aquaculture Research team on a current project being carried out at the Novus Aqua Research Centre in Vietnam – the third largest aquaculture-producing country in the world.

For more information on eligibility criteria and how to apply click HERE.

BACK TO TOP

Borlaug LEAP Applications

The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Programme (Borlaug LEAP) is currently accepting applications from sub-Saharan African students conducting research on topics related to the US Government's global hunger initiative - Feed the Future. All topics related to agriculture and the Feed the Future initiative are admissible.
The Borlaug LEAP offers fellowships to enhance the quality of thesis research of graduate students from developing countries who show strong promise as leaders in the field of agriculture and related disciplines. The programme supports engaging a mentor at a US university and a CGIAR center. Click HERE for more information.

BACK TO TOP

Lantra Aquaculture Learner of the Year Awards 2013

Lantra Scotland is seeking nominations for the ‘Aquaculture Learner of the Year Award’. The annual awards programme is designed to recognise the achievements of individuals who are learning and working in aquaculture, whilst helping to raise the profile of training and employment opportunities available within the industry. The closing date for nominations is Friday 8 November 2013. For more information or to download a Nomination Form please visit www.lantra.co.uk

BACK TO TOP

Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast Wins Copernicus Masters Best Service Challenge

The online audience of the Copernicus Masters website has voted Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast (HAB Forecast) this year's most beneficial Earth-monitoring service for European citizens.

The service provides a weekly alert primarily dedicated to fish farmers and regulators via web bulletin at www.asimuth.eu. It is the first forecast system of this kind and designed to combine all available information from Earth (in-situ monitoring stations), space (satellite data) and in-silico (biological and physical oceanic models) sources. The service, which is part of the FP7 project ASIMUTH, was submitted by Julie Maguire for the Irish Daithi O'Murchu Marine Research Station. ASIMUTH is using products from the pre-operational marine service of Copernicus that is currently provided through the EU-funded project MyOcean2.

Read more HERE. 

BACK TO TOP

Call for Papers - International Conference on New Perspectives in Science Education 

The third edition of the international conference New Perspectives in Science Education will take place in Florence, Italy, on 20-21 March 2013. The conference aims to promote transnational cooperation and share good practice in the field of innovation for Science Education and is an excellent opportunity for the presentation of previous and current projects in the science field. In order to participate in the international conference with a presentation (oral, poster or virtual), it is necessary to submit an abstract. The deadline for abstract submission is 25 November 2013. For more information on the conference and abstract submission guidelines, please visit: conference.pixel-online.net/NPSE/index.php

BACK TO TOP

AQUA-TNET CALENDER

Please check the Aqua-tnet calendar for a live update of upcoming events, courses and workshops.


BACK TO TOP

AQUATT TRAINING NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

AquaTT's Training News is a free monthly e-newsletter. With the latest news from the European education community, opportunities for collaboration, announcements and a student corner, Training News is an important dissemination channel for education and training opportunities for the aquaculture and related sectors. CLICK HERE for the latest edition.

Please email news@aquatt.ie to submit your news which will reach more than 5,000 international subscribers.

BACK TO TOP

PISCESTT JOBS

PiscesTT Jobs is a free online recruitment service used by over 300 companies globally in Aquaculture, Fisheries and Marine Science. At the moment there are 10 interesting jobs/study opportunities. If you are interested in viewing or posting a vacancy please go to www.piscesttjobs.com or contact aquatt@aquatt.ie. Subscribe at www.piscesttjobs.com/feeds for live RSS updates.  

BACK TO TOP

About Aqua-tnet

This update is published by the Aqua-tnet Secretariat. For further information e-mail aquatnet@aquatt.ie Previous editions are archived on www.aquatnet.com. Aqua-tnet welcomes any feedback regarding content, presentation and user-friendliness of the newsletter. If you would like to post a news item or event details on the next issue of the Aqua-tnet Newsletter or on the Aqua-tnet website, please send details to Marieke Reuver at marieke@aquatt.ie or aquatnet@aquatt.ie.

DISCLAIMER: AQUA-TNET provides this newsletter as a free service to its partners. Most of the information is provided by AQUA-TNET. Where it is not, the source of the news is provided in the text of the news brief or else AQUA-TNET attributes the news to the coordinating body as the "Data Source Provider". In no way does this newsletter intend to wrongly or inappropriately claim projects, news, etc. as its own nor is it responsible for incorrect information provided from other sources. The AQUA-TNET Newsletter is a dissemination tool and forum for both AQUA-TNET and its partners.