Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is an innovative instrument based on up-to-date knowledge and technologies to study the planet’s surface, striving to improve the management of global resources. Nowadays, planners who traditionally dealt with the transformation of cities, territories, environments and related issues must face new marine challenges, and therefore play a fundamental role. Though for years the planning system has 'turned its back to the sea', it is pivotal in organizing and developing coastal areas beyond the CZM approach. The sea is affected by economic, social and environmental changes and, in order to cope with the continuing social and economic evolution, it needs to be included in planning and land management strategies.

The aim of the Joint Master Course on MSP is to prepare students to become specialists – providing a multi-disciplinary background – to enable them to operate both in public institutions as well as independent professionals or researchers. As specialists they will have the know-how in planning, in designing and evaluating projects and policies, which consider terrestrial, coastal and marine dimensions. In addition, the course will provide the ability to manage decision processes towards an adaptive and integrated approach. The two-years master course provides a broad study perspective through a crossed-thematical analysis and discussion on several marine contexts (Mediterranean Sea, Baltic and North Sea, Black Sea, Atlantic Ocean). The added value consists in the comparative analysis and the methodological interaction among the institutions involved, together with knowledge transfer to the South of the World.

The course is developed by the MSP Consortium coordinated by the Università Iuav di Venezia. The Consortium welcomes major professional entities from the coastal, marine and maritime sectors as associated partners who are involved in teaching, research and planning activities.

The Joint Master Course on Maritime Spatial Planning has been financed since its first edition (2013/2015) by EACEA, and has been issued within the Erasmus Mundus program. We have submitted our application for the 2018/2020 edition as well and we are currently waiting for results, which will be notified in June 2018.

If the application is successful, the course will be held under EU funding, and scholarships will be available. See the related page for more information.

full partners

> Università Iuav di Venezia (lead university)

local coordinators: Francesco Musco, Elena Gissi

> University of Azores, local coordinator Helena Calado

> University of Sevilla, local coordinator Juan Luis Vivero