This report corresponds to the results of the first project meeting, management and expert meeting among project partners celebrated at UCA from 17th to 19th, addressing the points of the corresponding Agenda. Participants from most of the consortium members were present, exception being UAL (Alice Newton had another meeting in Brussels related to the Erasmus Mundus programme), and UL, who could not manage finally the assistance of a representative. The external expert Alexei Suzyumov (CSI-UNESCO) cancelled the travel at the very last moment due to health reasons, and the invited IOC-UNESCO representative Julian Barbiere excused his assistance due to Agenda problems, nevertheless, expressed his interest on meeting results.

EU-COMET_II PROJECT INTERNAL REPORT:

MEETING RESULTS:

1. Project kick-off and management meeting
» Information on project structure and payment cycle, as well as on conditions and annexes to the contract agreement were presented by the project coordinator using the information provided by the TEMPUS web site and the Grant Agreement Contract.
» The Original proposal workplan was overviewed and revised as a basis for further discussion on project activities and to establish possible amendments to the original proposal. The main results are:

• The proposal by UL for converting the 3-month advisory training courses (Ref. n? 5.1,5.2,5.3) into a wider-scope summer school on ICM was discussed. However, with the available resources it was considered, although very interesting, nearly unfeasible. Instead, it was proposed to cluster the currently running ERASMUS-MUNDUS Joint European Master on Water and Coastal Management hosted by UAL and UCA and with the participation of other EU-COMET-2 consortium members, and the activities related to outcome n? 5 of EU-COMET-2. By doing this, we will be able to guarantee a multiplier effect by the synergy of two closely related Programmes: the developed EU-COMET-2 curriculum will be tested on approbation by RF students, but these students will have also the opportunity to attend E-M modules widening their training possibilities. At the same time, EU-COMET-2 developed modules will be open for E-M students, allowing for a more general approbation. It is also worthy to note that the EU-COMET-2 staff participating in the outcome n? 5 will profit from the experience of the ERASMUS MUNDUS, probably being this one a reciprocal benefit. Angel del Valls (UCA) and Alice Newton (UAL), members of both, ERASMUS-MUNDUS and EU-COMET-2 consortiums will elaborate and propose the proper way of establishing this link.
• It was proposed and accepted to slightly re-structure the activities of the outcome n? 5 assuring an upgrading in project impact and an even more adequate workplan. The change consists in the transformation of the 1st year 3-month advisory course in an EU country institution (5 students flow RF-EU) into a 3 (yearly) 1-month advisory course and field practices (15 students flow EU-RF). The improvements are the following: (i) The elaborated curriculum will be approbated as well in RF, which was lacking in the original proposal; (ii) There will be more time for developing teaching materials, therefore guarantying a higher level training for attending students and a more objective approbation test; (iii) EU-RF student exchange has demonstrated to be a very useful tool in the integration of RF students during their 3-month stages (experience from our previous EU-COMET). Most of the allocated funds for student mobility will remain in the same budget heading.

2. Elaboration of ICM structure for the two-level system:
» Analysis of current ICM courses (1.1): RSHU participants provided consortium the information on the current ICM specialty at RSHU, as well as the full English version of the four core disciplines developed during EU-COMET. Other participants also provided information on different relevant ICM courses, which are disseminated among all participants. These materials will be the basis for the preparation of the review document "ICM education in Europe", which must be a tangible output of our project. During the meeting, all participants stressed the need for such a document, so far non-existing in Europe and therefore of broad interest. Different possibilities for the edition are foreseen (IOC, special issues of specialised journal, self-edition), nevertheless as a matter for dissemination we will focus on the possibility guarantying maximum dissemination, assuming a high quality review document. The final version of the review ready for edition is foreseen by October 2006.

» Expert meeting at UCA (activity 1.2 of the project):
Nikolay Plink (RSHU) explained academic structure of RF higher education system and the necessary steps they have to take in order to accomplish the accreditation of ICM two-level structure by the corresponding RF Ministry. After his presentation, it was proposed the following structure:

• Bachelor (4 year duration): During this cycle, approximately 25% of total ECTS (~ 100) can be designed by the RSHU (the rest corresponds to the federal and regional part of the curriculum). These ECTS can be used for disciplines related to Fundamentals of ICM.
• Master (2 year duration): During this cycle most of the curriculum is defined by the federal standard, however the nomination of the disciplines "Modern problems of Science" and "History and methodology of Science" is wide enough allowing their use with ICM-oriented contents.

Nikolay Plink, in any case, will send all this information in English to all partners.

It was considered necessary, as well, to define amount of ECTS for different ICM courses at RSHU in order to facilitate the mutual recognition with EU consortium Universities.

Another important issue was the creation of the four working groups for preparing the disciplines targeted to match ICM needs:

1) Group on fundamental coastal sciences: This group this constituted by the following members: UCA (head), UA, RSHU, UAL???, UL???
2) Group on ICM disciplines: UA (head), EUCC-Mediterranean Center, RSHU, UCA, UB, UAL???, UL???
3) Group on coastal activities: UB (head), RSHU, UA, UCA, EUCC-Mediterranean Center, UAL???, UL???
4) Group on case studies: EUCC-Mediterranean Center (head) + all consortium members

» Rector's meeting (1.3):
It was considered for most of consortium universities as an important activity, which can enhance the institutional support to the Project. Also, the needs analysis for legalisation of the developing ICM curriculum at all consortium Universities. The relevance and symbolic significance of Bologna in the process of European Convergence in Higher Education makes this place ideal to carry out the rectors meeting. However, due to the usually tight Agenda of Rectors, the date of the meeting is not fixed already, although strongly is intended during the 1st project year.

» Preparation of case studies (2.1):
RSHU will be in charge of the selection of the most informative case studies in the different text books. The rest of the members will have to send to Nikolay Plink (RSHU) a very short description of the available case studies. Filomena Martins (UA) will select one or two persons for the University of Aveiro to prepare the case of studies. The UCA will count on the experience of the Dr. Barragan to design his case of studies. As deadline for this delivery the month of May 2006 was fixed. When all the members have reached an agreement in relation to the selection of the case studies, this material will be presented in a CD-ROM. Carolina Perez (EUCC-Mediterranean Center) will provide the needed templates.

» Meeting of case study working group at RSHU (2.2):
The edition of case studies and the creation of the CD-ROM will run on the part of RSHU. RSHU will have the responsibility to contact all the members to fix the date of meeting between the months of May and June.

» Preparation of lecture notes (3.1):
Corresponding with the working group division, consortium members must provide materials and assessment to RSHU for the creation of the lecture notes on the different disciplines. A responsible for each discipline will be designated within the working groups. The preparation of the complete lecture notes version will be carried out by RSHU staff.

» Meeting of working groups on coastal sciences and ICM disciplines at UCA (3.2 and 3.3):
The possibility was considered to celebrate together the coastal sciences and ICM discipline meetings in the University of Aveiro, because this member is the head of coastal sciences working group. Filomena Martins will check such a possibility, otherwise it will be celebrated in Cadiz. Dates of the meeting (during the 1st year project execution) will be announced by the end of February.

» Management of the activity "Preparation of the CD educational module" (4)

• The meeting for the preparation of the CD will be made in EUCC- Mediterranean Center. The main concepts as far as contents will be designed. All consortium members of the partnership.
• The CD will have an English version and a Russian one, which will be sole responsability of RSHU staff.
• The staff cost allocated for this activity will be divided between all participating Institutions.

3. Dissemination:
» It will be coordinated the EU-COMET II dissemination activity with WICOP-Europe UNITWIN project and -IOC/ICAM programme. » Web site creation and support (activity 6.1 of the project):

• RSHU and EUCC-Mediterranean Center are the main task forces carrying out this activity, but all members of the consortium will provide available materials and information.
• It was proposed the introduction of links to other ICM related sites (UNESCO/CSI, IOC, EUCC-Mediterranean Center ICM News, etc).
• It was mentioned the idea to create a interactive part of the web page (forum) for a wider and easier discussion of the teaching materials developed within the project framework.
• Currently, RSHU staff is processing the page and placing it on the RSHU server, soon it will be running with some materials, so suggestions and improvements can be made.

» Preparation of a Web-site meeting (activity 6.2 of the project):

• The meeting will take place by mid February, probably in Leiden (EUCC-Mediterranean Center headquarters), so technical staff from RSHU and EUCC-Mediterranean Center will agree with the web site design.

Participants: