Due to the globalisation of the maritime industry it is evident that training and education of students is less isolated to particular regions. As a result many students who begin study in one region often end up working in another region. This complicates matters when further studies are required. Students need to return to their original institution of study due to recognition and possible language restrictions. Therefore the NMU and SAMK after a number of meetings and visits decided to begin a partnership to develop the maritime qualifications and staff and student exchange. SAMK identified the Erasmus+ programme as an opportunity to incorporate other leading institutions in the maritime training sector from Europe and South Africa. All the EURO-ZA partners have a long history in maritime education with some European partners over 100 years. Therefore this is an opportunity to conduct a detailed analysis of the curriculums and facilities to truly evaluate any similarities, differences and opportunity for improvement for both the South African and European partners. It is noted that the NMU is only starting maritime education but has been involved in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Civil and Mechatronics) for decades. This programme will conduct an extensive evaluation of all six maritime curriculla. Comparison of these curriculla will lead to an understanding of similarities and differences. Out of this a comprehensive understanding can be established as to what the strengths and weaknesses are in each institution's curriculum. Included in the study a detailed evaluation will also be conducted on the different pedagogical processes as well as facilities.The result will enable a possible alignment of qualifications allowing knowledge sharing, student, staff and research exchange ultimately recognising a global standard and an improved product to industry.

Adaptation plans have become increasingly popular across the globe. While some adaptations have beneficial outcomes, many have unintended consequences for vulnerability. This is particularly relevant in coastal zones where both marine and land-based adaptations have an impact and human pressures are greatest. We believe a better understanding of the underlying social-ecological processes driving adaptation in coastal areas, particularly the feedbacks between risk from biophysical change, cognitive processes, and adaptation, will reduce the incidence of maladaptations while increasing the frequency of win-win adaptations. Findings will directly inform and support adaptation decision making in coastal areas, add to current knowledge on vulnerability and adaptation, and facilitate learning and appreciation of feedbacks in adaptation responses. We use a model of “private proactive adaptation to climate change” to assess the interactions between: a) the actual risk posed by climate change; b) cognitive factors such as perceived risk and perceived adaptive capacity; c) adaptations; and d) situated learning when decisions makers participate in modelling processes. We assess the relationship between these drivers and adaptation plans in coastal areas at three scales: individual decision makers; local communities of practice; and regional planning authorities. Participatory modelling with decision makers will result in lasting impacts for enhanced coastal resilience. In each of three coastal regions: the Languedoc-Rousillon in France; Cornwall in the UK; and the Garden Route coast in South Africa, we will identify two to three examples where users, communities of practice, and regional authorities have developed adaptation plans and strategies resulting in the unintended transfer of vulnerability from one sector, scale or place to another. We will use available empirical data and models, participatory agent-based modeling, interpretative methods; and reflexive learning to catalyze and assess changes in the cognitive perceptions of decision makers who design adaptation plans.

Based on a previous EU project on innovation in South Africa we realized there was a need for a capacity building project in the region. As previous projects had focused on mobility of students and staff, we wanted to create a project that would train and support the university staff in developing innovation in their universities.We put together a set of models which would affect employment of graduates, operation of innovation centers as well as structured meetings between universities and the industry. This has the potential to increase innovation and entrepreneurship in South Africa while increasing employment of graduates, increasing research collaborations with the industry and strengthening all sides of the knowledge triangle

SESA will facilitate a structured co-development process, which starts with the co-development of energy access innovations that have a high potential for take-up and are tested, validated and later replicated. Each technology will be demonstrated in the living lab, and a corresponding information and training package is created. Each of the living lab team will consist of technology experts, local implementation partners (members of the consortium) along with local authorities (associated partners) and innovators (recruited through the seed-funding call), guided by business development, finance and policy experts. Demonstration actions will aim to test innovative technologies and services in different contexts that have a high level of replicability and a high potential for long-term sustainability. The project aims to achieve a high level of replicability of actions. As part of an effort to go beyond the state of the art and maximise the project?s impact, the project will co-develop innovations with local partners and cooperate closely with sister projects to exploit synergies. Solutions that will be tested in this project have been selected on their basis of their replication potential. Demonstration concepts aim to integrate several solutions to provide essential energy services to rural and urban communities and create easily replicable business opportunities for local entrepreneurs. The co-developed demonstration actions will be initially tested in the Kenya living lab and based on the initial learnings, various aspects of the tested innovations will be validated in living labs in different socio-economic operating environments (Ghana, South Africa, Malawi and Morocco). The learning from the validation living labs will strengthen the applicability and replicability of the technologies as well as the basic business concepts, which will be shared in the SESA toolbox and incubator programme.

Water scarcity, population growth, and climate change put immense pressure on global water resources, challenging human health, environmental sustainability, and economic development. DECIRE-WATER addresses these issues by demonstrating innovative, scalable, and circular water and wastewater management solutions at five sites in Europe and one in South Africa. The project will provide pioneering, affordable, and sustainable decentralised systems, designed to function independently or integrated with centralised infrastructure, predominantly based on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) but also incorporating technical processes. By project completion, our solutions will reach TRL 7-8 and be tailored to diverse geographic, climatic, and socio-economic conditions. Advanced monitoring technologies and digital tools will be incorporated to demonstrate that DECIRE-WATER can achieve the required level of safety and reliability, which is critical for achieving regulatory approval, public acceptance, and eventual market adoption. We will engage stakeholders through co-design and co-creation, fostering acceptance and market uptake, while developing a decision framework to guide policymakers. Public-private partnerships will also be explored to test sustainable business models. Our long-term impact by 2035, is to operate the DECIRE-WATER systems which will collectively drive €60 million in revenues and create 200 jobs in the water sector. In addition, our solutions will collectively benefit 7% of the European population by reclaiming over 7.8 million m³ of water annually, with estimated energy savings amounting to 751,300 MWh/year. By aligning with EU priorities on climate resilience, water security, and sustainability, DECIRE-WATER is well-positioned to meet global water management challenges, ensuring long-term impact and success.