EU-CONEXUS – the only European transnational higher education and research institution that will be able to cover the smart urban sustainable coastal development from a global point of view, by cross disciplinary based approaches, vocational training, innovative and professionalizing educational and research methods and extensive service provision in the field of blue growth.

It will provide the tools and instruments to promote the comprehensiveness and quality of education, research and innovation in this area at a European and international level.

Its competitive advantage will be based on the decade‐long expertise of the partner universities as well as the dominant position of European industries in the area of “Blue Economy”.

Goals for 2022

• To provide common European degrees and common European diplomas;
• 50% mobility of students and academic personnel;
• A European higher education inter‐university ‘campus’ based on an ever‐closer academic and administrative integration;
• To integrate bachelor, master and PhD programmes which will combine the strengths in education, research and innovation;
• To integrate multidisciplinary, multilingual and innovative European University programmes; 
• To bring education and business nearer;
• To become the global leader in higher education and research in the area of smart urban coastal sustainability, with a perspective of expansion beyond the size of its founding consortium.

Thematic Focus

EU‐CONEXUS has chosen a focus on urban and semi‐urban coastlines because they are increasingly densely populated areas and very important for trade, aquaculture and fisheries, energy, tourism. At the same time, these coastlines are the most vulnerable areas with regard to the consequences of climate change.

Universities and research institutions have a central role to play in promoting the “Blue Economy” and “Blue Growth”. But a new approach is needed with regard to the organization of studies and research in order to reflect the complexity of the problems and opportunities facing urban coastal environments.