The kick-off conference of the LEAP TO BLUE (Unleash the potential for a shared transition to the blue economy) project took place in the new student residence hall of the University of Zadar. The University of Zadar is the lead partner of the project, which is worth over 6 million euros and is scheduled to run until the end of June 2028.
The aim of the project is to support more than 160 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Croatia and Italy to adopt progressive practises, achieve sustainable growth and contribute to the green transition. The project was presented by the Rector of the University of Zadar, Prof Josip Faričić, PhD, the project leader Prof Božena Krce Miočić, PhD, and representatives of the partner institutions: Assoc. Prof Rubina Romanello, PhD (University of Trieste), Valeria Patruno (ARTI Puglia) and Assoc. Prof Fausto Ferreira, PhD (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing – FER).
"For thousands of years, the Adriatic Sea has served as a medium of communication, connecting opposing shores and being a source of life. Today’s generation faces numerous challenges, including the need to find a balance between economic development (fishing, mariculture, shipping, maritime sectors and tourism) and the preservation of a rich natural heritage – a highly dynamic but fragile marine and coastal ecosystem. Sustainable development must be pursued in such a way that financial gain does not jeopardise the long-term values of this environment,” said Rector Faričić in his opening speech. “Projects like this, which bring together academia, industry, development agencies and civil society organisations, are an opportunity to share knowledge, ideas, technologies and experiences that can improve the relationship between people and the sea and coastal areas.”
The overall objective of the project is to improve the capacity of SMEs in key sectors of the blue economy through cross-border cooperation and to enable the adoption of innovative processes, solutions and technologies. By fostering digital transformation and expanding international opportunities, the aim is to create a stronger and more sustainable blue economy that is better equipped to tackle current and future challenges. This was emphasised by the project leader, Prof. Božena Krce Miočić, PhD.
“Ultimately, we want entrepreneurs on both sides of the Adriatic to promote and boost the economies of both countries. Through large-scale procurement, we will engage suppliers who will transfer their knowledge to Croatian and Italian partners. The project will bring together 200 SMEs, and an additional benefit will be the evaluation of their progress in order to propose new financing programmes in the future,” said Krce Miočić.
Valeria Patruno emphasised that the blue economy encompasses a wide range of interests and expressed the hope that the project will lead to innovative breakthroughs.
“This will also be an opportunity to strengthen cross-border cooperation, united by the common goal of preserving the sustainability of the Adriatic,” Patruno said.
Other project partners also emphasised the importance of promoting economic development within a sustainable framework.
“We are very happy to participate in the project and to build new partnerships. We are neighbours and the Adriatic ecosystem is a common one – we need to work together, even in small steps, to create opportunities for sustainable living,” Dr Ferreira emphasised.
The project involves six main partners from both sides of the Adriatic: the University of Zadar, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), the Croatian Chamber of Economy and - from Italy – ARTI Puglia, Unioncamere del Veneto and the University of Trieste. The project is also supported by numerous institutions, including HAMAG-BICRO, the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth of the Republic of Croatia, ART-ER (Attractiveness Research Territory, Emilia-Romagna) and Unioncamere Italy.