INTERNATIONAL PHD

“INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF MEDITERRANEAN SEA FISHERY AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES” (FishMed-PhD)

A major focus of interest of this PhD programme will be set on Mediterranean fisheries and biological resource, both in terms of understanding the impact that fishing pressure can have on ecosystems, but also how commercial fisheries are interconnected with the surrounding marine environment and are themselves impacted by other drivers of change (e.g., climate change, non-native species), and the social and economic consequences for associated marine sectors and human society.

FishMed-PhD will train a new generation of managers, not only on innovative Technologies, the biology of the harvested species and blue biotechnologies, but also on the importance of limiting the anthropic impacts while maintaining the economic performances. Students will carry out interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research and complement their training through specialized courses. The students will also learn to implement environmental awareness and to deliver scientific knowledge to policy makers, and the general public.

This international PhD programme is a major step forward in high-profile training, placing Italy at the center of the Mediterranean basin and in particular in the Adriatic-Ionian Macro- region (EUSAIR). 

FishMed-PhD programme is international. Its Academic Board will include at least 25% of professors and recognized experts in the field of fisheries, ichthyology, food web dynamics, modeling and simulation of biological systems, from different international institutions: Bar-Ilan University (Israel), Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (Croatia), University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands), University of Burgundy (France), the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (Spain), the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (Greece). The selection process will consider broad candidate expertise, including technical/scientific experience, scientific publications, participation in scientific meetings, university courses/grades, and reference letters. Fellowships will be widely advertised. High-profile young graduates will be selected through network boosting employability in the Mediterranean region. In addition to Euraxess, open positions will be published on specific websites enhancing the development of employability in southern Mediterranean countries (e.g., RESUME - the Mediterranean Network for Employability, HOMERe - High Opportunity for Mediterranean Executives Recruitment). FishMed-PhD program envisages a mandatory abroad research period of at least three months, to broaden the student’s knowledge of the existing realities and ways of managing marine biological resources.

Job opportunities and potential areas of employment

Oceans are drivers for the economy and have great potential for innovation and growth. The 'blue' economy represents roughly 5.4 million jobs and generates a gross added value of almost €500 billion a year. Blue Growth is the long-term strategy of the European Union to support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors as a whole. The strategy focuses on sectors where there is a high potential for sustainable jobs and growth (e.g., aquaculture, coastal tourism, marine biotechnology, and resources and environmental management) which are closely related to FishMed-PhD. FishMed-PhD students will acquire expertise that are applicable in different professions linked to environmental consultancy and management, socioeconomic risk assessment, and public engagement. In the short-term (throughout the PhD programme), PhD students will be capable of selecting specific socioeconomic indicators linked to changes in marine environments to perform sustainable analyses of the implications of these changes for private and public decision makers. PhD students will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and conferences at early stages of their scientific careers and thus help them gain international recognition and provide networking and career opportunities in both the private and public sectors. In the long-term (after the PhD programme), FishMed-PhD researchers will be European leaders and experts in marine environmental monitoring and management capable of quantifying and valuing impacts and vulnerabilities by taking into account the interdependencies between ecosystems and social and economic systems.