1st Announcement
Half-day Seminar
Trends in Marine Research and related developments
– a challenge for Malta and its role in the Mediterranean

Venue: Corinthia San Gorg Hotel, St. Julians
Date: 27th January 2004  (9.00 a.m. – 1.00p.m.)

The IOI-Malta Operational Centre of the University of Malta, in collaboration with the Malta Council for Science and Technology, is organising a half-day seminar that targets to give an overview on the key issues and trends in Malta concerning marine research and related developments in marine affairs, within the context of international drivers, and with a viewpoint on the potential role of our country in the Mediterranean. Serving as a marine forum for sharing, amalgamating and concretising ideas as well as for synergising initiatives, the seminar is expected to produce important insights on the pace of research and innovation needed to gear our marine sector towards a viable future, on some key emerging and prospective opportunities, and on the best strategy to reach set goals.   

The seminar is being held in conjunction with the 5th Meeting of the MAMA/MedGOOS project which will be attended by leading marine scientists from the Mediterranean region, and representing key marine research centers with activities related to ocean monitoring and forecasting.
The seminar will be addressed by the Prime Minister of Malta, followed by keynote speeches and presentations from foreign and local experts.
The seminar will overview and assess the ongoing, planned and potential developments in marine research in Malta, and provide a forum to discuss the way forward for improving marine Research, Technological Development and Innovation, with highlights on the needs and aspirations both on a local and regional scale. The seminar programme will comprise regional aspects dealing mainly on the role of Malta in strengthening the EU-Mediterranean Cooperation in the marine sector within the framework of a future Euro-Med Research Area. Such a role will have to build on the prestigious contributions that our country has furnished in the past, especially for what concerns the oceans as a common heritage of mankind, and on issues related to the sustainable use and sharing of ocean resources. This will also build on the initiatives that our country is already conducting to promote regional collaboration in marine research such as in relation to ocean observations and forecasting.

The second part of the seminar will be dedicated to some recent local marine-related activities and initiatives that have a special bearing to marine observations and environmental monitoring. A wider showcase on other projects will be presented by a dedicated poster session that will be organised during the meeting.  

Who Should Attend
Representatives from key stakeholders in the marine sector, particularly individuals holding key positions in public and private organisations / agencies / institutions / departments with marine-related activities.

More specifically the following categories are invited:

- Representatives from key Ministries relevant to marine affairs.
- National Representatives and Focal Points to the EC related to the marine sector
- Governmental agencies, and authorities
- Leading marine scientists
- Representatives of the marine research management community
- Representatives of the marine industries and services sector


Poster Session
The local participants will have the opportunity to display posters featuring recent, ongoing and/or proposed activities related to marine RTDI and environmental monitoring activities in Malta.
Requests for poster exhibition space should be forwarded to ioi-moc@um.edu.mt by not later than 9th January 2004. The poster size should not exceed 0.8 m (width) X 1.5 m (height).

For more details about the project please go to
http://www.mama-net.org
For any further details kindly contact Dr. Aldo Drago (email: adrago@um.edu.mt ) or Mr. Matthew Scerri (email: matthew.scerri@um.edu.mt ).