European Network on Coastal Research

Objectives

The ENCORA project (European Network on Coastal Research) has been initiated to improve sharing of knowledge and experience within Europe, in two respects:

• Overcome existing fragmentation of coastal expertise.
• Better exploit scientific knowledge in practice and adapt it to non-expert coastal and marine professionals.

Therefore ENCORA organises a number of services enabling coastal professionals to take better advantage of existing knowledge resources in Europe, for tackling the challenges posed by the future of our coasts. These services are being implemented by Coordination Offices, which have been established in 18 European countries. These services include, firstly, sharing knowledge among research institutes, to increase the quality and efficiency of research programmes and to stimulate cooperation. Secondly, sharing expertise among coastal management organisations, to spread best coastal practices throughout Europe. Thirdly, sharing experience among policy organisations, to harmonise coastal policies in Europe for sustainable development.

Results

• Coastal professionals throughout Europe can find each other to engage into partnerships, either by calling on the ENCORA Contact Search, or by consulting the Contact Database.
• Young coastal professionals receive travel grants for attending workshops, summer schools, site visits, etc. organized by ENCORA, where they can learn about experience and practices elsewhere and where they can start building a network with colleagues from other countries.
• Coastal professionals throughout Europe cooperate by improving, updating and expanding the Internet encyclopedia Coastal Wiki.
• The European Action Plan is a shared vision on major shortcomings in knowledge and technology that presently hamper the implementation of sustainable coastal and marine management. It contributes to focusing research and monitoring programmes in different EU countries and to creating new opportunities for cooperation and synergy.

Project partners

• Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management – Rijkswaterstaat – Centre for Water Management (NL)
• Lund University (SE)
• Leuven University (BE)
• Plymouth University (GB)
• DHI Water and Environment (DK)
• Fondazione Eni Enrico Matteì (IT)
• Centre d’Etudes Maritimes et Fluviales (FR)
• Vlaams Instituut der Zee (BE)
• GKSS Institut für Küstenforschung (DE)
• Technical University Delft (NL)
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, (GR)
• CORILA (IT)
• University College Cork (IE)
• Gent University (BE)
• Bologna University (IT)
• Thessaly University (GR)
• Deltares (NL)
• CoastNET (GB)
• The Coastal Union (NL)
• Marine Hydrophysical Institite Sevastopol (UA)
• Institute of Hydro- Engineering (PL)
• P.P.Shirshov Institite of Oceanology Moscow, (RU)
• Instituto de Hidraulica e Recursos Hidricos (PT)
• Institut National de Recherche Halieutique Casablanca, (MA)
• Universidad de Cantabria (ES)