To enable the development of new knowledge in collaboration between researchers, teachers and stakeholders in society, it is important that higher education graduates, apart from having field-specific knowledge, are exposed to working cultures of potential employers. Especially in complex situations, such as peripheral rural areas, there is a well-known gap between theory presented in academic courses and applications of this knowledge for sustainable development. Acquiring and practicing life-long learning skills such as reflection, observation, visioning, participation and dialogue should be integral part of learning cultures. A group of European High Education Institutes have developed an already tested cooperation through the successful completion of a Horizon 2000 project (High Nature Value farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge; Horizon 2020, 2016-19, www.hnvlink.eu). A mutual understanding will help structure both modules and curricula, but also individual courses concentrated on these areas through a multidisciplinary approach.The partnership aims to enhance the sustained implementation of the innovative model for HE education within and outside the partnership. More specifically, the project will:1) build understanding on the specific skills and competencies needed by the labor market and societal needs in such regions,2) support curricula development to ensure learning for the skills and competencies;3) strengthen collaboration between HE and potential regional and cross-regional employers,4) support professional competencies of the HE educators in such regions, and5) contribute to the international pool of open educational resources (OER).Work as a multinational communal network has so far had an enormous beneficial impact on testing of field approaches concerning sustainable development of peripheral areas. It is estimated that these areas cover about 30% of the utilized agricultural area and around 15% of agricultural holdings in the EU (Keenleyside et al. 2014). By further implementing innovative student-centered and project based approaches in all the participating institutions, we are certain that this increased transnational effort can achieve the project’s objectives and our vision. An already existing tradition of mutual cooperation and engagement of new participants as well as a considerable share of own resources put into the project activities will ensure the sustainability of the efforts after the project is completed.The intellectual deliverables of the project will be presented in six (6) discrete outputs:IO1) The assessment of the education needs and gaps for the sustainable development of the EU peripheral rural areasIO2) E-learning courseIO3) Bank of Case StudiesIO4) Digital Teaching Platform and Digital Learning ResourceIO5) Syllabus and materials for Intensive Study ActivityIO6) Reflective report on the approach and methodology adoptedThe above structure will allow us to enhance skills and competencies of one hundred (100) participating students and almost fifty (50) academic staff and researchers. The IO’s above, including an Intensive Field Study Activity in a selected peripheral area in the vicinity of the leader partner’s campus will allow us test the selected methods. This includes the most suitable methods for developing important skills and fostering lifelong and self-governed learning.The proposed project will further sustain and build cooperation across the network of partnering institutions concerning peripheral areas. The four (4) proposed transnational meetings will focus work on particular deliverables to be completed at various stages of the project. Additionally, the multiplier events will focus on participatory approach for the sustainable development of peripheral areas between local key actors, such as administrative and technical staff, market representatives, local government, and academic staff other than the ones involved in the partnering HE institutions.The consortium vision to further enhance existing knowledge for EU peripheral areas by delivering tested results of its proposed approach. We plan to expand in the future beyond the project’s two (2) year completion by joint personnel /student exchange programs, common curriculum and syllabus change among some of the potential opportunities.

Since 2013, Albania is going through a process of structural reforms on several areas. The reform on territory administration (Law 115/2014) reduced the number of the local units to 64 municipalities. Both rural and urban areas constitute now these new larger and more complex territorial units. The local administration has a limited knowledge on sustainable territory administration of both rural and urban areas and their interactions. Secondly Albania is moving forward on its process of joining the EU. Implementation of the acquis communautaire, requests necessary reforms for Albanian government on national as well as local institutions. Thirdly the reform on higher education and scientific research of 2015 (Law Nr 80/ 2015), created a new type of third cycle degree Master called Executive Master which adapts even more the teaching offer with the job market needs. The main objective of the project is to address new job market needs induced by new and forthcoming Albanian public policies by collectively designing 9 teaching modules on sustainable territory administration, agricultural policy and negotiation, as well as innovation on rural areas.The project tends to improve the classical way of curricula building by proposing adapted teaching modules build up by building blocks that will serve to several teaching level (i.e. professional master, Master of science and executive master). This will increase the possibilities of collaboration among HEI-s (public and non-public) that want to build up master degrees dealing on the same issues without being competitorsThe project is focused on a strong relation with the job providing institutions and the importance of the practical work that will be projected, conducted and evaluated jointly with actors of the sector. The project will capitalize the practical and theoretical findings of their own students and lecturers by using them as theoretical and case studies in master teaching modules.

The main objective of this research project is to explore ways of improving the creation of value in the dates value chains in three countries of the southern Mediterranean, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. France is also involved in this research proposed by a consortium of sixinstitutions. The key components of the project fit together around the analysis of constraints and opportunities of the market organization at national and international level and agricultural policies in each country. Indeed, the project aims to identify and evaluate, from an analysis of the interactions between the public and private strategies and modes of professional organizations, the effectiveness of value creation dynamics for a local Mediterranean products: dates. To reach this goal, the project starts from the idea that the behavior of local value chains stakeholders are strategic responses to government actions, on one hand, and to the situation of the professional organization, on the other hand. In addition, the project takes into account the fact that the development strategies of quality labels for local products are one component of a broader strategy to create a portfolio of products and market segmentation developed by sectors. We will analyze these complex interactions, identifying their effects on the formation of prices in domestic markets and access to domestic and international markets through two research work packages: i) Consumer perceptions, expectations and attitudes towards local products, ii) Market opportunities and supply chain organization for local agri-food products in domestic markets, iii) International food Supply-chains: structure, strategies and value sharing. Moreover, an additional WP is devoted to the coordination of research and dissemination of results. VALUETEAM will address the issues raised above through new methodological approaches, including value chain approach with focus on quantitative analysis, models of industrial organization and models of operational research applied on data collected from field surveys. The mechanisms of coordination and management of professional organizations will be analyzed as well to assess their capacity to promote the emergence of dynamic valuable supply of local products along with fair distribution of value throughout the selected supply chains in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Keywords: Mediterranean local products, Competitive and sustainable value chains, Domestic and international markets, Professional organization.

Several countries in the Mediterranean are affected by agricultural Non-Point Source (NPS) nitrate and phosphorus pollution of aquifers and surface waters (estuaries, lakes, wetlands, etc.), widespread in areas of intensive agriculture and livestock activity. The complexity of NPS pollution requires adopting specialized, interdisciplinary and multi actors approaches and different solutions from farmers and Water Resources Managers, Water Users Associations and regional and national Environmental Agencies. Therefore, there is a need for a paradigm change, looking for more site-specific approaches that support farmers rather than sanctioning and limiting their entrepreneurship. It might be the way for maintaining the trade-off between the needs of sustaining farmers’ income and detrimental environmental impacts of NPS pollutants, which is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. NPP-SOL overall objective is to prevent diffuse pollution of water resources due to NPS agricultural pollutants under the Mediterranean soil and environmental conditions, according to the goals of the new Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork strategies. NPP-SOL will integrate site-specific best management practices to improve soil, water, fertilizers, and crop management with site-tailored and affordable-cost technologies to prevent natural bodies pollution. Common to all the adopted methodologies-technologies will be their sustainability, economic efficiency, and adherence to circular economy approach. NPP-SOL co-designs and tests Site-Specific Best Management Practices and Pollution-Preventing Technologies enhancing a multi-stakeholder participatory approach considering context-related needs and challenges, whether the proposed innovations are appropriate or not, and whether they can sustainably adopt the knowledge generated by NPP-SOL. The aim is to intercept and remove NPS pollutants before reaching the groundwater and surface water bodies. Technologies such as Bioreactors and Constructed Wetlands will be set up to remove nutrients and pesticides from surface runoff and/or drainage water coming from agricultural fields. Anaerobic Digestors will treat livestock slurries before spreading them to the soil. Modelling Tools such as the agro-hydrological model FLOWS-HAGES (FLOws of Water and Solute Transport in Heterogeneous Agricultural and Environmental Systems) and the bio-economic model DAHBSIM (Dynamic Agricultural Household Bio-economic SImulation Model) are provided. FLOWS-HAGES produces information on the time evolution of water and solutes balance and all the functional processes involved (evapotranspiration, root uptake of water and solutes, irrigation volumes, groundwater recharge, drainage, runoff, nutrient transport). As for solute transport, the model allows for salts, pesticides, phosphorus and nitrogen transport simulations. DAHBSIM maximizes household objectives subject to constraints and resources allocation patterns by linking several sub-modules related to economic, production (including livestock), and consumption decisions. Technical Capacity Building assets of technicians from key stakeholders guarantee the application and spreading of the NPP-SOL outputs, the monitoring of the effectiveness of applied technologies, the maintenance and fine-tuning over time. Farmer Awareness is monitored and strengthened throughout the project. NPP-SOL is implemented in four Case Studies (Israel, Italy, Morocco and Spain). The multi-disciplinary consortium provides expertise in surface and subsurface hydrology, soil science, agronomy, chemistry, microbiology, economics, and social sciences. NPP-SOL aims to overturn the traditional top-down approach, seeking more site-specific models and techniques focused on supporting farmers. It privileges small-to-medium scale actions spread throughout the agricultural basin and avoids large-scale interventions, thus making farmers involved and directly responsible for the management practices applied on their farms.

Aquifers are a critical component of the water cycle, the ecosystems, and the socio-economic systems; especially in the southern shore of the Mediterranean, where water resources are limited and unevenly distributed in space and time. Some countries receive a mere 10% of the local total annual average rainfall. In such complex region, where aquifers are influenced by population growth, climate change, and environmental changes, it is increasingly important to enhance, manage and sustain services derived from aquifers and the groundwater. The conceptual framework of AGREEMed is inspired from the assumption that resilient water management, preservation of ecosystems, and sustainable agricultural development in water-stressed Mediterranean basins is possible if area’ specific portfolio of solutions and practices is designed and implemented in a participatory approach. AGREEMed project aims at improving the capacities of water actors in developing aquifer management plans and organizing demonstrations of such development in pilot areas in strategic agricultural Mediterranean basins: Souss-Massa in Morocco, Hammamet in Tunisia, and Jordan Valley in Jordan. This will be achieved by selecting, adapting, and implementing a combination of successful technologies and practices in the Mediterranean region within inclusive and adaptive aquifers’ governance plans. Specifically, AGREEMed seeks to: deliver scientific knowledge about quantity and quality status of groundwater and dependent ecosystems, evaluate non-conventional water technologies, promote innovative water treatment and brine management technologies, leverage Nature-Based Solutions, foster institutional water management practices, promote Big Data-based models added values, and introduce the collective intelligence concept in water resources management. To accomplish these sub-objectives, AGREEMed is relying on an international consortium of partners from different sectors (research centers, universities, association, SMEs) and proven expertise in the project pillars, and on an innovative methodology to approach the different milestones. In each of the pilot areas, “Stakeholders Bords” will be created and will include various actors in the water value chain. This coalition will represent an instrument of dialogue and inclusive governance and will be involved across the project activities. Exploratory investigations and evaluations of groundwater, associated ecosystems, and current non-conventional water technologies will be carried to guide the following activities. Aquifers governance plans specific to each pilot area will be built, combining non-conventional water technologies, disruptive Big-Data based models, NBS, and institutional practices according to findings of the exploratory researches. Socioeconomic and environmental assessments will be performed to secure the optimal footprints of the suggested solutions. Dedicated efforts will be made in upscaling and dissemination, for a larger outreach of the project outcomes within the Mediterranean region. The strategic ambitions of AGREEMed are falling within the scope of water thematic call as it addresses the vital role of aquifers and their management in the Mediterranean. The multidisciplinary and multiapproach of AGREEMed will be supporting the research activities in responding to the expectations of the selected topic regarding addressing the problem of water scarcity through innovation, integrating ecosystems and people, and reducing gaps between plans and implementation. To that end, AGREEMed’s value proposition in contributing to groundwater and dependent ecosystems sustainability is alleviated by a large portfolio of solutions and practices (technological, institutional, and scientific) where specificities of the pilot area, inclusiveness, and ecosystems are key pillars. Diverse innovations (products, business models, approaches, and organizational models) are expected within the framework of AGREEMed.