THE MEDCOAST INSTITUTE 98:

International Training Program on
Integrated Coastal Management in the Mediterranean & the Black Sea

25 August - 11 September 1998, Ankara, Marmaris / Fethiye, Capadocia, T U R K E Y

 

 

Network MEDCOAST & MEDCOAST Secretariat
Middle East Technical University
06531 Ankara, Turkey.

Tel    : 90 312 210 54 29/30/35
Fax    : 90 312 210 14 12
E-mail : medcoast@metu.edu.tr
 

 

THE MEDITERRANEAN CHALLENGE

The MEDCOAST acronym was used for the first time with the First International Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment, MEDCOAST 93, which convened in Antalya (Turkey) during 2-5 November 1993.  Since then, MEDCOAST acronym has been used many times in activities carried out in three directions, namely; scientific meetings, human resource development, and collaborated research.
 
MEDCOAST has gone a long way during the past five years. The Second International Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment, MEDCOAST 95, (24-27 October 1995, Tarragona, Spain) and the Third International Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment, MEDCOAST 97, (11-14 November 1997, Qawra, Malta) matured the MEDCOAST conference series. Furthermore, MEDCOAST organized an important workshop in Sarigerme (Turkey) during 2-5 November 1996, with the title of the State-of-the-Art of Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean. The preparation of the fourth conference (MEDCOAST 99), which will be organized jointly with the fourth EMECS conference in Antalya (Turkey) between 2-6 November 1999, is underway.

On the side of the training programs, MEDCOAST organized three MEDCOAST Institutes (94, 95 & 96) on the topic of Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean. 25 participants representing 16 countries enrolled in the 94 Institute.  MEDCOAST Institute 95 trained 22 professionals from 14 countries and MEDCOAST Institute 96 trained another twenty-two participants from 13 countries.  Additionally, MEDCOAST started in 1995, a one-week long training program on Beach Management in the Mediterranean, and organized three successful events in 1995, 1996 and 1997.   A total of 155 professionals from 29 countries received training in these events.

Today there is a great interest in the Mediterranean basin, including the Black Sea, for integrated coastal management (ICM).  The change of the MAP 's perspective from "protection" to "sustainable development" , and thus the recognition of ICM as a prime target, was ratified by the Mediterranean countries in the summer of 1995 in Barcelona. The Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development, established in the following years, picked up the theme of "sustainable development of coastal zones" as one of the first priority areas.  The Black Sea has recently been the focus of attention of significant international efforts (The GEF Black Sea Environmental Programme, The Black Sea Strategic Action Plan). The European Union has sponsored various significant efforts for enhancing ICM  in the Mediterranean and Black Sea countries.

Over the last five years which passed since its inception, MEDCOAST has received extreme satisfaction for contributing to national and international efforts towards rational management and protection of the coastal and sea areas of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, which are extremely important for the future well-being of the riparian countries and their people. In short, MEDCOAST is proud to give a hand to the Mediterranean Challenge for turning the tide.

MEDCOAST INSTITUTE

MEDCOAST Institute is a well-established international training program in integrated coastal management (ICM).  The curriculum is specially designed to address issues and problems which are particular to or significant for the Mediterranean and the Black sea. The program is carried out  with a high level of interaction between the participants and the faculty members.

The program of MEDCOAST Institute 98 consists of three parts:
 
   * A week long in-class training including lectures by the faculty on various topics related to ICM in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and presentations by participants, and group exercises, to be held in the attractive campus of the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara (25 - 28 August).

Some of the emphasized topics are:

 • ICM issues and problems in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
 • Sustainable development and theoretical framework for ICM.
 • Physical and ecological description of coastal systems.
 • Coastal and marine resources, uses, and coastal development activities.
 • Coastal tourism.
 • Use of coastal engineering technology.
 • Coastal management techniques and tools.
 • Remote sensing and GIS.
 • Environmental economics.
 • Institutional and legal arrangements.
 • Review of  MAP activities and the Mediterranean Agenda 21 efforts.
 • Introduction to  Black Sea Strategic Action Plan.

 

 * A week long study trip and field observations  on traditional wooden boats sailing along the coast from Marmaris to Fethiye (Ölü Deniz), and anchoring at locations of significant coastal conservation and/or development activities for observations, applied research and interviews with various actors of coastal management (29 August - 5 September).

 * A week long concluding workshop with "hands on" training, including lectures by the faculty on topics relevant to the field trip, presentations by the participants on their field observations, group discussion sessions, and a half-day long "simulation game" on a ICM scenario, to be held at Kaya Hotel - Club Mediterranee  in Cappadocia (6 - 11 September)

MARMARiS-FETHiYE COAST

Marmaris is the most important destination for international tourism on the southern Aegean coast of Turkey.  The breathtaking natural beauty of the Marmaris Bay (declared a National Park in 1995) with wooded sloping shores and pocket beaches, and with basically pristine surrounding areas, attracts thousands of Turkish and international holiday makers every summer.

The coast from Marmaris to Fethiye, located further south, is one of the most important routes for sailing vacations, locally called "mavi yolculuk" (which translates as "blue voyage").  This highly attractive coast offers a great variety of coastal features, including steep slopes covered by pine forests, coves and bays, small islands, sand beaches, lagoons, coastal lakes, sand spits and inlets, wetlands, and alluvial plains.  The coast has a number of areas of ecological significance, including nesting beaches of loggerhead turtles.  It is also among the most important areas of cultural importance, being the geographical transition of two ancient civilizations; Karia and Lykia.

Tourism of all types, is the most important economical activity along the coast, most of it bearing  "specially protected area" designation, and being managed by a national agency.  The fertile plains have traditionally been used for agriculture.  Dalyan lagoon is the most productive fishery along the whole Turkish Aegean coast.  Forest areas, various archeological sites, marinas, an international airport, a naval base, mining facilities, sea transportation infrastructure, a paper factory, a state owned and operated big agricultural establishment, are among other coastal activities.

During the field study trip, different coastal features, various types of coastal development  and activities will be visited.  Interviews and discussions with developers, local governors and mayors, officials of the central government's field offices, NGO representatives, and local people will be arranged.

FACULTY

As it has been in the previous Institutes, MEDCOAST Institute 98 will be run by an international faculty drawn from the twelve Network MEDCOAST institutions including:

• Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (Coordinator & Secretariat)
• University of Genoa, Italy
• Delft Hydraulics, The Netherlands
• International Centre for Coastal and Ocean Policy Studies (ICCOPS), Italy
• Turkish National Committee on Coastal Zone Management, Ankara, Turkey
• Catalonian University of Technology (Barcelona, Spain)
• University of Malta (Valletta, Malta)
• Israel Institute of Technology (TECHNION) (Haifa, Israel).
• University of Alexandria (Egypt)
• University of Corsica  (France)
• Priority Actions Program Regional Activity Centre, Mediterranean
     Action Plan (PAP/RAC MAP) (Split, Croatia)
• Institute for Remote Sensing Applications (Joint Research Center of the
     EC)(Ispra, Italy).

and the collaborating institutions:

• Coastal Zone Management Center, The Hague, The Netherlands
• Bath Spa University College, U.K
• University of Massachusetts-Boston, USA

PARTICIPANTS

The highest priority target group for the  MEDCOAST Institute 98 participants are the professionals holding mid-managerial positions in their central governments and being responsible for planning and execution of programs or projects on coastal and marine issues.  The other groups, in decreasing order of priority, are employees of coastal municipalities, non-governmental environmental organizations, universities and research centres.

The participants are required to have a basic university degree (Bachelor of Science, Engineering, Art or Law) in a relevant field, and work experience of at least 5 years.

Diversification of the nationalities of the participants has been an important consideration in the selection process, for maximizing cross national information exchanges during the previous Institutes.

LANGUAGE

The language of instruction in all activities of MEDCOAST Institute 98 is English.

FEES, FINANCIAL AID & ACCOMMODATION

The fee for participation at MEDCOAST Institute 98 is US $ 1,800.  The fee covers all costs of the training program including meals on the boat and in Cappadocia, accommodation, the field trip by boat, transfers by couch (Ankara - Marmaris - Cappadocia - Ankara), course materials, etc.  Medical insurance is not included. Accommodation will be in double occupancy rooms, at the modern hostel of METU in Ankara, in cabins during the boat trip, and at ‘Kaya Hotel - Club Mediterranee in Cappadocia.  Participants should bring funds for meals in Ankara and for their personal expenses throughout the program.

Participants are urged to search for sponsorship from their ends (e.g. their governments, national and international donor organizations). A few partial scholarships are expected to be available from the MEDCOAST Secretariat on a very competitive basis.

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

The following organizations are included in the list of sponsors of the past MEDCOAST Programs:

• European Community (DGI and DGXII)
• UNEP - Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) Coordinating Unit
• MAP Priority Actions Program Regional Activity Center (PAP RAC)
• UNESCO - Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
• GEF Black Sea Environmental Project (BSEP) Coordinating Unit
• International EMECS Centre (Kobe, Japan)
• Euro-Mediterranean Center on Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD)
     (Valetta, Malta)
• Promotion Fund of the Turkish Prime Ministry
• Turkish Ministry of Environment
• Turkish Ministry of Tourism
• Delft Hydraulics
• British Council in Ankara

 

CERTIFICATE AWARDED

MEDCOAST Institute will award a certificate to participants who successfully complete all three phases of the program.

MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1956, Middle East Technical University (METU) is a regional state university, having the objective of educating and training Turkish and foreign students in scientific, technical and professional fields of study. Today, it occupies a highly attractive campus, and has about 20,000 students. Middle East Technical University has been the leading institute in Turkey in the fields of  coastal engineering since early 1960's, and in oceanography since mid 1970's.  The interest in  coastal management within  the coastal engineering  division, both in research and teaching, dates back  to more than 10 years.  Being the seat of MEDCOAST, METU is engaged in research and education in integrated coastal management in the scale of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. MEDCOAST, in collaboration with METU, is presently engaged in the development of an international, interdisciplinary graduate curriculum in the field of integrated coastal management. The graduate degree program, to be conducted by an interdisciplinary and international faculty, completely in the English language, will be available to the international student body, with particular chances for students from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea countries.
 
 

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