MarUMinho – the University of Minho’s Multidisciplinary Research Programme in Marine Science and Technology – was presented to the public on 2 July at the Rectory’s Noble Hall in Largo do Paço, Braga. The project is funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
The session included speeches by the President and Executive Director of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, António Feijó and António Cruz Serra respectively, as well as the Rector of UMinho, Rui Vieira de Castro and MarUMinho’s Lead Researcher, Eugénio Campos Ferreira.
The MarUMinho programme is a multidisciplinary research and development (R&D) initiative that integrates the skills and resources of four of UMinho’s organic units: the Escola de Engenharia, Escola de Ciências, Escola de Economia, Gestão e Ciência Política and the Instituto de Investigação em Biomateriais, Biodegradáveis e Biomiméticos (I3BS).. The project aims to promote scientific research and technological innovation in the marine field, with a focus on the sustainable development of the North Coast.
Organised around six strategic thematic lines – Blue biotechnology and sustainable marine bio-resources, Coastal observation and monitoring, Coastal interfaces, Pollution by (micro)plastics, Sustainability and structural innovation, and Blue (bio)economy – MarUMinho seeks innovative solutions to the region’s environmental, economic and social challenges. Its main objectives include the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems, the sustainable exploitation of marine resources and the mitigation of environmental impacts.
The project also stands out for its link to the creation of a Multidisciplinary Institute of Marine Science and Technology in Apulia, in co-operation with the Esposende City Council. This institute will strengthen applied research and knowledge transfer, consolidating UMinho as a centre of excellence in the study and sustainable management of marine and coastal systems. MarUMinho thus represents an integrated and sustainable approach, combining science, technology and innovation at the service of the environmental and economic development of the North Coast.
