The International Summer School "Sustainable Development of the Yachting and Cruise Industry" officially opened at the Blue Economy Training Centre (BETC) of the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, bringing together 20 participants from Montenegro, Albania, and Italy for an intensive international learning programme dedicated to the sustainable development of the yachting and cruise industry.
Organised within the Interreg IPA South Adriatic project "High LEVEL and market-respondent competences for a blue and digitalized “Smart and skilled South Adriatic” - SKILLS, this unique international programme offers students and young professionals the opportunity to experience the Blue Economy directly through practical learning, field visits, smart maritime technologies, and international networking.
The participants arrived by boat to the BETC, where the programme began with an initial control test, followed by the official opening ceremony.
Welcome addresses were delivered by Mirko Đurović, Director of the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro; Antonio Agrosi, representative of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme; Prof. Danilo Nikolić, Summer School Director from the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Montenegro; and Ana Pešić, Summer School Coordinator from the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro. Dr Radoje Laušević from the Institute of Marine Biology presented the Adriatic Blue Growth Cluster digital platform (https://www.southadriaticskills.org/), with a particular focus on its eLearning and eCommunication modules which will be extensively used during the Summer School.
The HELM Kotor Summer School is designed for students and young professionals interested in sustainable tourism, cruise industry development, green and smart marinas, digital maritime technologies, environmental protection, and future careers in the Blue Economy.
What makes this Summer School different is its strong practical dimension. Participants will not only attend lectures, but will also learn directly from real maritime environments in the Bay of Kotor. The programme includes field visits to Porto Montenegro and the Port of Kotor, Wärtsilä navigation simulator demonstrations, practical laboratory activities, interaction with experts from the maritime, tourism, and marine biology sectors, and international networking among participants from Montenegro, Albania, and Italy.
The curriculum covers seven modern thematic areas: Sustainable Nautical and Cruise Tourism; Contemporary Marina and Cruise Port Management; Safety and Security; Infrastructure Planning; Navigational Parameters; Smart and Digital Marinas; and Green Marinas and Cruise Ports.
Through this programme, the SKILLS project continues to strengthen cross-border cooperation, support practical education, and develop new competencies for a smarter, greener, and more sustainable South Adriatic Blue Economy.