MEDiverseaty

30th Anniversary of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

MEDiverSEAty among the projects celebrating the impact and diversity of the MSCA Actions

October 2026

EUROPEAN UNION

INFO

AdriBioPro Conference 2026 & MEDiverSEAty Symposium

Bringing together research, knowledge exchange, collaboration and training for marine biodiversity

22 – 26 September 2026

KOTOR, MONTENEGRO

PROGRAM & REGISTRATION

OCEAN / UNI Spring Semester 2026

Plural Seas, Porous Futures: Exploring the human dimensions of Mediterranean biodiversity as strategies for coexistence and resilience

January 28 – May 20, 2026

PROGRAM & REGISTRATION

About us

MEDiverSEAty Consortium covers a broad and representative spectrum of the European countries actively involved in the management of marine resources in the Mediterranean.

Video by LRuiz_Underwater from Adobe Stock

Video by Roy Buri from Pixabay

Video by hsvrs from Adobe Stock

Our keywords

Diversity is the keyword of the whole project. It hints at the scientific approach to the biology of marine life (bio-diversity), but above all this term emphasizes the need to value the differences and relational dimensions of humans and non-humans with the sea and in particular the rich cultural variety of the Mediterranean area.

Transnational

Host institutions in 6 european contries: Italy, Malta, France, Spain, Montenegro and Greece

Development of several local case studies with the aim of filling the gaps in the integration of marine diversity protection and human development in the Mediterranean, working on two key-pillars of contemporary marine sciences, policies and education: Ocean Literacy and Marine Biodiversity Conservation

Network

Consortium composed by 16 academic and non-academic partners with a common objective

Moving the international debate to a step forward: develop a common theoretical framework of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrates human and biological dimensions and implications and transfer this multidimensional vision into actions, policies and strategies

Training

International, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral Doctoral Training Program for 10 PhD Candidates

The selected PhD Candidates are contributing to MEDiverSEAty’s objectives through collaborative work and Individual Research Projects, integrated into 6 Work Packages (WPs) combining theoretical and field research with training activities.

Video by Andrii Shnaider from Adobe Stock

Video by Alex Tihonov from Adobe Stock

Video by TheTaikun from Pixabay

Our OBJECTIVES

The scientific research objectives of MEDiverSEAty are to develop a common theoretical framework of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrates human and biological dimensions and implications, to foster the crucial role of human dimensions in the protection and conservation of Marine Biodiversity and to make Biodiversity the focus of Mediterranean Ocean Literacy.

Our partners

Network is the keyword of the whole project. It hints at the scientific approach to the biology of marine life (bio-diversity), but above all this term emphasizes the need to value the differences and relational dimensions of humans and non-humans with the sea and in particular the rich cultural variety of the Mediterranean area.

CONTACT AND INFORMATION

Please, use the form below in order to have information regarding the project

CONTACT AND INFORMATION

OBJECTIVES

MEDiverSEAty is the legacy of a long-term collaboration among the partners tackling a fundamental node for marine sciences: the reconceptualization of the Ocean as a driver to foster sustainable behaviours and policies.
The scientific research objectives of MEDiverSEAty are to develop a common theoretical framework of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrates human and biological dimensions and implications, to foster the crucial role of human dimensions in the protection and conservation of Marine Biodiversity and to make Biodiversity the focus of Mediterranean Ocean Literacy. MEDiverSEAty seeks to advance the international discourse by translating this multifaceted perspective into concrete actions, policies and strategies. MEDiverSEAty brings the cultural, social and political dimensions of marine biodiversity to the centre of two key objects of local, national and regional policies across the Mediterranean Basin as of the UNESCO Decade, namely:

Ocean Literacy
Biodiversity Conservation

Ocean Literacy is about a deepened understanding of the ocean’s influence on us and our influence on the ocean. It gathers education, communication and civic engagement strategies. In order to be transferred into factual and transformative actions on the territories, it must focus on precise objects.
Too often Biodiversity Conservation does not directly involve citizens (and consequently social, cultural, and attitudinal differences), risking being ineffective (“on paper” only), misleading, short-lived, and generating conflicts with marine users and stakeholders (tourists, fishers, developers).

Due to this background, the scientific research objectives (RO) of MEDiverSEAty are:

RO1: To develop a common theoretical framework (lexicon, concepts and interoperable notions) of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity Conservation which integrate human and biological dimensions and implications (WP1).
RO2: To foster the crucial role of human dimensions in the protection and conservation of Marine Biodiversity (WP2.
RO3: To make Biodiversity the focus of Mediterranean Ocean Literacy (WP3).
RO4: The MEDiverSEAty community is expected to have a long-term positive impact on national and EU planning and implementation of governance strategies for the sustainable management of marine resources. (WP2) and the engagement of relevant stakeholders (WP4 and WP5).

ABOUT US

MEDiverSEAty is a European Doctoral Network investigating the human dimensions of Mediterranean Marine Biodiversity. Despite ongoing efforts to conserve Mediterranean biodiversity, there remains a pressing need for more effective implementation of existing conservation measures. MEDiverSEAty proposes integrating the human dimension into biodiversity studies and conservation strategies to address this challenge. Recognizing the significant scientific and social relevance of these dimensions, the project emphasizes areas such as marine citizen science, maritime spatial planning, marine heritage, and the economic values of marine biodiversity.

MEDiverSEAty seeks to advance the international discourse by translating this multifaceted perspective into concrete actions, policies and strategies. A critical observation is the absence or oversimplification of ‘diversity’ (in terms of cultures, roles, societies, attitudes, identities) as a crucial factor influencing Europeans’ relationship with marine biodiversity in current political and scientific discussions.

To bridge these gaps, MEDiverSEAty has launched a Doctoral Network Training and Research Program (2024-2027) opened to 10 PhD Candidates (already selected), which involves partners from six European countries (Italy, Malta, France, Spain, Montenegro and Greece) and focuses on two pillars essential to contemporary marine sciences, policies, and education: Ocean Literacy and Marine Biodiversity Conservation.