The European MSc in Marine EnviRonment (MER) is a Joint European MSc programme focused on the marine environment and its protection, conservation and valorisation, conceived by four leading universities in the field of the marine environment (U Southampton, U Bordeaux, U Liège, U Azores, U Basque Country) with the invaluable contribution of a global network of Associates.
The MER2030 EMJMD is the result of the experience achieved by the MER Consortium along with preceding Joint MSc programmes. The MER2030 EMJMD stems from the currently ongoing MER+ EMJMD (2017-2022), which was the continuation of the European MSc in Marine Environment and Resources (MER EMMC) run between 2013 and 2019. The origin is the MER MSc started in academic year 2006-2007, as an integrated Joint programme of high quality initially recognised and funded by National programmes: Top Master in Basque Government ranking 2007-2011; Spanish Education Ministry Quality Award 2007-2012; Spanish Education Ministry Mention to Excellence 2011-2014), Cooperative French-Spanish MSc support programme (Ministries of Foreign Affairs; 2011-2013), and Mediterranean Office for Youth (MOY) Label 2012-2014.
The original aim the MER MSc was to cover marine environment and resources areas altogether. Yet, since the MER+ EMJMD phase the programme profile has evolved to be more focused onto the marine environment (protection, conservation, ecosystem services) and its interactions with marine resources).
Further on, the MER2030 EMJMD has been improved to respond to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. The Decade’s goal is to integrate science-based knowledge on the marine environment into decision-making process to support management, to be equitably shared with communities vulnerable to ocean changes, and to support sustainable Blue Economy. The Decade’s challenge is to achieve a clean, healthy, resilient, predictable, safe, sustainably harvested and “transparent” Global Ocean by 2030, on the basis of the Ocean Science. These challenges constitute the backbone of the MER2030 EMJMD programme.
MER2030 EMJMD: General Information 2021-2026 (updated in 2022)