The University of Technology of Mauritius (UTM) hosted the HEI Blue Workshop in its conference room on Thursday, January 29. This workshop brought together students from the UTM and the University of Mauritius (UoM), academics and local and international partners around a major issue: the sustainable development of the blue economy in the southwestern region of the Indian Ocean.
The workshop is part of the HEI Blue project, funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ (CBHE) program. The project has a total budget of 796,572 euros, of which 54,555 euros are allocated to the UTM. It aims to promote blue entrepreneurship and strengthen cooperation between universities and the private sector.
The consortium is led by the University of Alicante (Spain) and includes several institutions from Europe and the region, including the University of the Algarve (Portugal), the University of Oldenburg (Germany), the universities of Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and the Comoros, as well as the Indian Ocean Commission and CAP Business Mauritius. The project is implemented in Mauritius, the Seychelles, Madagascar and the Comoros.
The main objective of HEI Blue is to develop skills among students, researchers and teachers, especially in the field of the blue economy. The project involves the creation of training materials, the organization of entrepreneurial boot camps and the establishment of Blue Innovation Virtual Offices (BIVOs) to support innovation and entrepreneurship.
The UTM team plays a key role in this project. It is composed of Ajit Kumar Gopee (project coordinator), Sandhya Armoogum and Loovesh Sharma Ramwodin, from the School of Innovative Technologies and Engineering (SITE). Their role is to help the consortium’s partners implement BIVOs in their institutions and to train trainers in the use of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and machine learning for the blue economy. The team has already traveled to Madagascar, the Seychelles, Spain and Portugal to provide technical support and training. Present at the event, Minister of Higher Education, Kaviraj Sukon, stressed that while the oceans are deep, the skills challenges are even deeper. He explained that the HEI Blue project will help students, researchers and academics acquire the skills necessary to meet the needs of the country and the region. He also stressed the importance of collaboration between countries, recalling that a problem at sea affects the entire region.
The Minister of Agro-industry, Food Security, the Blue Economy and Fisheries, Arvin Boolell, insisted on the need to work together. He explained that Mauritius has already expanded its economic base in the past, especially with information technology, and that the blue economy is now a new key sector. He called on the actors to adapt, to be realistic and to transform the promises into concrete actions, before officially declaring the workshop open. The workshop was also marked by the intervention of Prof. Kavi Kumar Khedo, Deputy Director-General of the UTM, who stressed the importance of training students in the skills of the blue economy and strengthening regional and international cooperation.
Erasmus+ Project Manager, Jeanine Yeuny, focused on the opportunities offered to young people. She presented the international mobility and joint master’s programs, which allow students to study in Europe. She encouraged young people to apply, stressing that the Erasmus program is an enriching experience that allows them to discover other cultures and strengthen their academic and professional career.
The HEI Blue Workshop thus made it possible to raise awareness among young people of the challenges of the blue economy and to open up new prospects for the future.
source : lexpress
