BLUEROUTE
PT-INNOVATION-0072
Preparing the new OCEAN economy 2030: the blue route of discovery
The main objective of the Blue Economy is a sustainable use of the oceans that reduces environmental risks and increases the quality of life (QoL). It is urgent to capacitate local communities with appropriate marine biodiversity management tools to achieve blue growth, ensure sustainability of fisheries and conservation of threatened species, and adaptation to global changes. BLUE ROUTE is an inter-disciplinary initiative in marine science to promote networking, high-level thinking and critical 21st century skills in Doctorate professionals. To boost the Blue Economy, we rely on a hybrid (virtual, simulated, and physical) pedagogical design and experienced scholars to support a global network of learners. The pedagogical approach favors student-active learning on a flipped classroom and stresses the value of face-to-face communication. Dealing with the global challenges brought about by the pandemic and climate change requires an unprecedented undertaking to advance and rebuild an equitable and sustainable ocean economy. Our proposal is a concept development of a global network that counterbalances the Maritime Silk Road proposed by China, and engages Portugal and Norway with their strategic partners in the south Atlantic and Asia.
The ROTA AZUL/BLUE ROUTE project aims to provide an integrated and modern vision of postgraduate disciplines in the marine sciences. BLUE ROUTE's pedagogical objective is to promote networking and complex reasoning, with competences involving analysis, evaluation, and synthesis in doctoral graduates who, in a professional context, innovate and promote the creation of new knowledge. To this end, a hybrid teaching/learning model is presented, supported by PhD professors and blue growth specialists, both Portuguese and Norwegian, with long years of collaboration (UAlg-UiT), to support a diversity of PhD students and promote involvement in a professional and networking context.
