EMEA President, Professor Rym Ayadi addressed the Annual Conference of the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) held in Portorož – Piran, Slovenia, on 11-12 February 2015. At the conference, dedicated to Science Diplomacy – Re-Thinking Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation, 27 speakers and panelists from 17 different countries and international organisations shared their experience and insights on the subject in the presence of more than 150 participants from 35 Euro-Mediterranean countries.
In her intervention, Professor Ayadi outlined the scenarios for Euro-Mediterranean socio-economic Cooperation in an uncertain geopolitical environment
The conference resulted in a number of recommendations, among others also:
Support youth engagement in science through a Euro-Mediterranean competition for young scientists
Involvement of private sector in joint initiatives and programmes in the Euro-Mediterranean
Enhancing cooperation and exchange between scientists and politicians in the Euro-Mediterranean countries.
Initiative for a programme for “brain circulation” (rather than brain drain) in forms of research, academic and student exchange and fellowships in the region
Need to provide for continuing education of refugees and displaced people Call for support to social innovation initiatives through appropriate funding opportunities and new tailor-made programmes for concrete needs in Arab Med. countries
Joint initiatives in water, energy and South-South cooperation
Creation of a database of best practices and success stories in science-diplomacy
