The experience of the University of Vigo in the marine field, both from a scientific point of view and from an economic and legal management point of view, will serve as a guide for the implementation of doctoral programs in Cambodia that lead to improving the quality and relevance of higher education in this country. This collaboration is part of the Dockside project, coordinated by the Université de Nantes, and which includes the universities of Vigo and Syddansk (Denmark) and, on the part of Cambodia, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the National University of Administration, the Royal University of Law and Economics, the Royal University of Agriculture and the University of Battambang.
This initiative focuses on the reform of postgraduate and doctoral studies related to the management of the sea and marine resources in the Asian country and is funded by the Erasmus+ program. The project started in October 2016 and will extend until 2019 and, after several meetings in the Asian country, this week (18-22 September) a Cambodian delegation visits the Vigo campus, approaching the ECIMAT facilities on Thursday 21. On their first day at the University, they were received by the rector, Salustiano Mato, and held several meetings with teachers and researchers, led by professors Manuel Varela, from the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences, and Jaime Cabeza, from the Faculty of Legal and Labor Sciences. Both explained that the aim is for European universities to support Cambodian partners by organizing training and the exchange of good practices to strengthen research capacity and the quality of doctoral programs. “We can contribute our experience both at a technological and organizational level in postgraduate studies” related to economics, management, the environment and fisheries, including the Do*Mar doctoral program, explains Cabeza.
Cambodia’s close relationship with the sea
The Cambodian government’s interest in renewing postgraduate studies in the marine sector is a consequence of the weight of this sector in the economy but also of the country’s exposure to the effects of climate change. In fact, the Net Vulnerability Resilience Index declared Cambodia as the fourth most vulnerable state to climate change out of 95 states and it is estimated that by 2030, runoff in the entire Mekong basin will increase by 21%. Regarding the economic component, maritime trade and port infrastructure are key factors for the country’s economic competitiveness, but the depletion of natural resources, the vulnerability of fisheries, food security, water resource management, maritime and intermodal transport and port efficiency are central issues that require a multidisciplinary research network and a renewed offer of doctoral programs.
It is in this context that the collaboration with the European universities of Nantes, Vigo and Syddansk arises, the three especially related to the sea. Manuel Varela recalls that Cambodia, “after the French colonial period, is immersed in a deep process of transformation, which includes universities, but they have deficiencies in terms of teaching staff and personnel trained at doctoral level”, and it is in this area that they are seeking advice from European universities. In the case of Vigo, the experience of the doctoral program in Marine Sciences, Technology and Management Do*Mar, coordinated by Manuel Varela, will be provided, and others related to the legal or economic field, for example the doctoral program in Legal Market Regulation. But Professor Cabeza also highlights that Vigo has “a technological background that allows us to advise them on investments and organization”. In essence, he summarizes, the aim is to conclude this project by creating a network of contacts and reciprocal relationships between universities.
To this end, on Monday the Cambodian delegation began by meeting the Vigo research groups related to the marine field and throughout the week met with representatives of the Campus do Mar and Uvigo TV, visiting the Port of Vigo, Arvi, the Port of Vilagarcía, shellfish cooperatives, the Marine Research Center, etc., since as Varela highlights, “they are also very interested in knowing how the University relates to stakeholders, the environment and society.”.
Summer schools and exchange programs
Para crear unha rede estable de colaboración, os socios deste proxecto apostaron por organizar anualmente un workshop e un curso de verán en Cambodja, así como programas de intercambio tanto de docentes e investigadores como de estudantes. De feito, dende outubro e ata decembro dúas estudantes da Universidade de Vigo realizarán unha estancia no país asiático. Tamén no mes de outubro, engade Cabeza, “terá lugar o primeiro workshop en Cambodja, no que van participar dúas profesoras da Universidade de Vigo e Elsa Vázquez, como representante do Campus do Mar”.
Source: duvi
