The Danube Region is a major international hydrological basin and ecological corridor in Europe. Water resources are shared across borders and go beyond national interests, which implies a regional approach to environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. According to the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region, these challenges are best addressed together by strengthening institutional cooperation and capacity building in education. Present ecological and aquatic bioassessment education in the Danube area/Western Balkans Region does not meet the requirements of European environmental legislation and policies. The aim of the ECOBIAS Project is to develop and improve knowledge/skills/technical resources for ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment (EMAB) in accordance with the national and EU policy at seven Western Balkan PC HEIs . The specific objectives of the Project are: i) to develop/modernise and implement the advanced master curricula in EMAB in line with the Bologna requirements; ii) to develop and implement Lifelong Learning courses for professionals in the environmental monitoring sector in line with EU Water Framework Directive; iii) to equip seven EMAB laboratories; iv) and to develop regional academic network and ECOBIAS-NET platform in order to organise and promote regional cooperation in EMAB. Field-based learning and flexible learning pathways will allow students to adapt curricula outcomes in accordance to specific job requirements and stakeholders needs. Development and intercalibration of ecological status assessment system at national and regional levels is long lasting process which require extensive database of regularly monitored biological and environmental attributes. Therefore, building capacities in HE in the Western Balkan Region for the area of ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment represents a necessary and inevitable step toward the integration of EU environmental policy in the Region.
The specific objectives of the project are: i) to develop/modernize and implement the advanced master curricula in EMAB in line with the Bologna requirements; ii) to develop and implement Lifelong Learning courses for professionals in the environmental monitoring sector in line with EU Water Framework Directive; iii) to equip seven EMAB laboratories; iv) and to develop regional academic network and ECOBIAS-NET platform in order to organize and promote regional cooperation in EMAB.
The aim of the ECOBIAS Project is to develop and improve knowledge/skills/technical resources for ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment (EMAB) in accordance with the national and EU policy at seven Western Balkan PC HEIs. building capacities in Higher Education in the Western Balkan Region for the area of ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment represents a necessary and inevitable step toward the integration of EU environmental policy in the Region.
<< Background >> The aim of the ECOBIAS Project is to develop and improve knowledge/skills/technical resources for ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment (EMAB) in accordance with the national and EU policy at seven Western Balkan PC HEIs. building capacities in Higher Education in the Western Balkan Region for the area of ecological monitoring and aquatic bioassessment represents a necessary and inevitable step toward the integration of EU environmental policy in the Region. << Objectives >> The specific objectives of the project are: i) to develop/modernize and implement the advanced master curricula in EMAB in line with the Bologna requirements; ii) to develop and implement Lifelong Learning courses for professionals in the environmental monitoring sector in line with EU Water Framework Directive; iii) to equip seven EMAB laboratories; iv) and to develop regional academic network and ECOBIAS-NET platform in order to organize and promote regional cooperation in EMAB. << Implementation >> The ECOBIAS project was implemented fully successfully, highly exceeded proposed main indicators, within 36 months, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the earthquake in Croatia (March 2020, Partner UNZG), the law vacuum in the Law on Higher Education in RS (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Partner 11 UES, 2020/2021), and a Total cyber attack on the University of Essen administrative system (2023, Partner UED). The work plan had been constantly updated and adjusted in real time to avoid any delay. << Results >> 7 ECOBIAS laboratories equipped on time. Training for 27 new ECOBIAS courses was carried out (26 MSc and 14 LLL courses). 84 members of PC teaching staff trained and retrained. 27 ECOBIAS textbooks developed. 4 master curricula accredited and implemented. In total 54 students enrolled in new master curricula by M12 2022. 14 LLL courses accredited/ approved and implemented (74 professionals trained). ECOBIAS-NET academic network and platform created. The dissemination plan is fully accomplished.