Black Sea Universities Network

09/09/2026

As part of the Blue Gates Project- Empowering Blue and Smart Transformation of the Black Sea Basin - BSB00189, funded under the Interreg VI-B Black Sea Basin Programme, BSUN is organizing in Constanța, the International Summer School on “The Use of Digital Twin and Artificial Intelligence Tools in Aquaculture”, from 7 to 11 of September 2026.

The event brings together researchers, academics, experts and participants interested in exploring how emerging technologies can contribute to smarter, more sustainable and resilient aquatic ecosystems and aquaculture practices.

The programme combines lectures with hands-on and participatory activities, including satellite data analysis, onsite sampling and water quality measurements at Siutghiol Lake, biological and bacterial characterization activities, as well as field data collection in the Black Sea.

Blue Gates

07/09/2026

Georgia International Maritime Forum – GIMF 2026: Where Seas Meet Corridors

The Black Sea Universities Network is represented at the 2026 edition of the Georgia International Maritime Forum by prof. Eden Mamut, BSUN Secretary General.

The event is organized between 7 and 8 of September 2026, in Batumi, Georgia by the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia aiming to strengthen regional dialogue, to give space for discussion of shared challenges, and to accelerate practical cooperation between governments and international partners.
Conducted annually since 2016, GIMF has grown into a well-established gathering and offers a platform for interaction between regulators and the industry, bringing together high-level officials and maritime representatives from across the wider Black Sea region and around the globe.

This year, the event is taking place in the context of the acceleration of the peace process between Ukraine and Russian Federation and of the big concerns regarding the security of the multimodal transport lines in the Black Sea as well as of the growing importance of the Caucasus – Black Sea transport corridor as an alternative to secure highly predictable, standards-driven paths connecting Asia and Europe.

Over 400 delegates from 40 countries, including ministers, heads of maritime administrations, and representatives from international financial institutions are expected to gather and to address topics as trade bottlenecks, multilateral cooperation, Public-Private Partnerships, decarbonization, environmental protection, or digital transformation.

Prof. Mamut shall moderate the panel dedicated to: “The Human Element: Seafarers & Skills for the Future” aiming to identify and evaluate how Universities and training institutions must address the fundamental transformation in the maritime industry driven by digitalization, automation, decarbonization, and workforce shortages. The topic is very important because today, not tomorrow, seafarers are expected to operate in a highly digitalized environment where human expertise is enhanced by advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, Digital Twins, IoT systems, and predictive analytics. The future workforce is increasingly described as a "human-plus" workforce, where technology supports, rather than replaces, human judgment.

Despite rapid technological adoption, a significant skills gap exists in the maritime sector. More than 80% of surveyed seafarers report receiving little or no digital skills training, even though digital tools are becoming essential for daily operations.
More information may be found at the official website of the Forum: https://www.maritimegeorgia.ge/

24/08/2026

“Beyond World-Class Technology” - Participation of Prof. Eden Mamut to Nor-Fishing 2026

At the Nor-fishing 2026 Fair, the BSUN was represented by prof. Eden Mamut, BSUN Secretary General, as part of the activities of the Blue Gates Project. The event took place between 18th to 20th of August 2026 in Trondheim, Norway.

The theme of the fair for this edition was “Beyond World-Class Technology” and participants from more than 60 countries contributed to the success of this traditional high class gathering of the Blue Economy Community Worldwide.

In this context, prof. Mamut had a large number of meetings covering the most important topics of the Blue Gates Project such as applications of digitalization, robotics, renewable marine energy, new materials, biotechnologies, virtual reality or marine engineering for different fields of application as sustainable fishing, aquafarming, marine and coastal environments protection, fish processing, circular economy loops.

On this occasion, Prof. Mamut, visited NTNU Trondheim, and had a meeting with Prof. Toril A. Nagelhus Hernes, Vice Rector for Innovation. The parties have agreed to initiate a special strategic approach to bridge innovation on blue economy between North Atlantic and Black Sea regions.

A second visit was at the premises of Hydrogen MEM-Tech company, where Dr. Hanne Martinussen, the CEO of the Company, presented to Prof. Mamut how the knowhow and R&D support of SINTEF has been taken to highly competitive technologies of hydrogen separation from syngas. Dr. Martinussen, has been invited to give a presentation at the Blue Gates Demo Days that will be organized by BSUN in October, this year, in Constanta, Romania.
Cooperation agreements have been initiated with many other participants to the Nor-Fishing event. More information you may find on the Blue Gates website https://www.bluegatesproject.com/

Prof. Eden Mamut is coordinating the activities of the BSUN team within the Blue Gates project, he is co-chair of SDSN Romania and a member of the Romanian Consultative Council for Sustainable Development

14/08/2026

Learn more about BlueLightS: https://blue-lights.eu/What does it ...

20/05/2026

Prof. Osman Bülent Zulfikar, BSUN President and Rector of Istanbul University, gave a keynote speech in the opening of the Digital Surgery Summit, oragnized at Istanbul University on May 20th, 2026.

The Summit is addressing the transformative power of robotic surgery, artificial intelligence, and telesurgery in the medical world, with expert figures in the field.

18/05/2026

📢 Blue Education Framework Workshop IV is coming up!

The BlueLightS Policy Workshop Series continues with a session dedicated to Teacher Training & Professional Development within the European Blue Education Framework.

This workshop will explore how educators can be supported in bringing ocean and water literacy into the classroom, from training approaches to practical tools and capacity-building strategies. 🏫

Join us to exchange ideas, learn from different perspectives, and contribute to shaping this key chapter of the Framework.

📅 28 May
🕙 10:00-11:30 CEST

🔗 Learn more & register: https://blue-lights.eu/blue-education-workshop-iv-teacher-training-professional-development/

07/05/2026

“Geopolitics in the coming decades must begin with the essential goal of ensuring human security for every citizen of the planet, wherever they may be.”

On May 6, 2026, the SDSN Networks Presidents’ Meeting took place at Palazzo Taverna in Rome, in a hybrid format that brought together presidents and co-presidents of the national and regional networks within the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).

During the panel dedicated to global geopolitical changes, Prof. Eden Mamut, Secretary General of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) and Co-Chair of SDSN Romania, addressed the geopolitical situation in the Black Sea region, emphasizing the severe consequences of the prolonged Russia–Ukraine war on all countries in the region, including the field of education.

In his remarks, Prof. Mamut underlined that future geopolitical architectures should be built around the fundamental objective of guaranteeing human security, as defined by the United Nations, for every citizen worldwide. He also highlighted the urgent need for more sustainable economic models that address growing global inequalities and environmental degradation.

On this occasion, the organization of ECOS 2026 in Constanța, Romania (June 28 – July 3, 2026) was officially announced. The conference will be dedicated to the renowned scientist Nicolas Georgescu-Roegen, born in Constanța in 1906, internationally recognized for integrating environmental protection perspectives into economic science.

The SDSN meeting in Rome also provided an opportunity to assess the current progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting achievements to date and discussing initiatives aimed at accelerating global sustainable development efforts.

SDSN is a global initiative launched in 2012 under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General, with the mission of mobilizing scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development.

23/04/2026

21/04/2026

📣 The 3rd Call for Blue Schools is now open!

Are you a school ready to bring ocean and water topics into your classroom? 🌍

We are launching the third Blue Challenges call, supporting schools across Europe to develop impactful projects that strengthen Ocean and Water Literacy and contribute to the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.”

💡 What’s in it for you?
🔹 Up to €3,000 funding per project
🔹 Support for hands-on, engaging learning activities
🔹 Opportunity to join and strengthen the Network of European Blue Schools

We’re looking for innovative and inspiring projects that connect students with real-world challenges, from pollution and biodiversity to climate change and sustainable oceans.

📅 Deadline to apply: 18 September 2026 (17:00 CET)

🔗 Apply now: https://blue-lights.eu/grants-for-schools/

Let’s empower the next generation to protect our ocean and waters 🌱

BlueLights Project