COMMUNITY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN UNIVERSITIES (CMU)

Meeting of the Rectors of the Mediterranean Polytechnics

Bari March 28, 1998

 

1.  
2. Agenda

1.  
2. Organizational aspects of the Socio-Economic Observatory of the Mediterranean;

    

3. Cataloguing of the Cultural Heritage of the Mediterranean;

    

4. Tourist-cultural Itineraries in Mediterranean Countries;

    

5. Integrated Development of coastal and rural areas;

    

6. The City of the Future and the Cultural Heritage;

    

7. Master Courses.

B) Participants

•  
• Arch. Capasso Michele - Director of "Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo"

   

• Prof. El-Sherbiny M.G. - Dean Faculty of Engineering - University of Cairo

   

• Prof. Gutfinger Chaim - Vice-President Technion Israel Institute of Technology

   

• Prof. Hadrhi Taïeb - Directeur Ecole Polytechnique de Tunisie

   

• Prof. Marovic Pavao - Vice-Rector University of Split

   

• Mr. Micallef Paul - Head Dept Communication and Computer Engineering - University of Malta

   

• Prof. Mouhtadi Mohammed - Doyen de la Faculté des Sciences - Université Ibnou Zohr - Agadir

   

• Prof. Pagés Jaune - Rector Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya

   

• Prof. Skuletic Sreten - Vice-Rector University of Montenegro New Yougoslavia

   

• Prof. Xirokostas Dimitrios - Dept. Of Mechanical Engineering National Technical University of Athens.

   

• Prof. Dammacco Gaetano - University of Bari

   

• Prof. Di Benedetta Carlo - University of Bari

   

• Prof. Losurdo Franco - University of Bari

   

• Prof. Notarstefano Cosimo - University of Sannio

   

• Prof. Plantamura Leonardo - University of Bari

   

• Prof. Satalino Pasquale - University of Bari

   

• Prof. Bernardo Fortunato - Vice-Rector of the Polytechnic of Bari

   

• Prof. Fulvio Zezza - Polytechnic of Bari

   

• Prof. Umberto Ruggiero - Polytechnic of Bari

   

• Prof. Civita Mauro - Polytechnic of Bari

   

• Prof. Mario De Blasi - University of Lecce

   

• Arch. Giovanna Dell’Erba - Bari

C) Presentation

During the last month of May the CMU Council met some Rectors of the Mediterranean Polytechnics. On that occasion hints were given about the necessity of establishing a strong link amongst the Polytechnics and the Technical Faculties of the Universities in view of creating a permanent network dealing with the following subjects:

•  
• advanced education;
  technological research targeted to the development of the Mediterranean area.

  Indeed, the need is felt to concentrate the best resources, both human and economic, into the universities in view of enabling young graduates to make autonomous choices intended to develop their own communities and countries.

  Which role can CMU play to acheive this goal?

  CMU’s role is to act as a catalyst to favour national and international aggregation in the Mediterranean area with the utmost respect for all cultural and ethnic identities.

  There is no doubt that all the Mediterranean peoples share a common denominator made up of civilization, customs, mentality. This was recently confirmed once again in Bari during the gathering of the Standing Commission on Mediterranean Interculturality: all the intellectuals participating in the Commission undertook to work together with the aim of establishing an improved social and civil condition of the Mediterranean peoples to be "grafted" on the cultural roots of each one of us.

  The lines of action to be pursued to achieve that goal were identified as follows:

1.  
2. in-depth analysis and comparative study of the various Mediterranean cultures;

    

3. identification of common cultural factors in view of constructing a common platform of understanding;

    

4. verification of any possible form of harmonization of those behaviours that are heavily influenced by persisting nationalisms today: the school textbooks in the first place;

    

5. favouring progressive integration - without any prevarication - of the apparently diverse aspects of the different ethnic and sociocultural behaviours particularly through mass media.
   This last point brings us back to the technological issue. We do hope that working together in close collaboration in the only interest of man, of his needs and aspirations, we will be able to attain civil and social progress, the sole condition that can lead us to lay the foundations of a long-lasting peace.

   This is the reason why CMU Council approved my proposal to meet you with the aim of trying to reinforce our cultural and scientific cooperation by establishing closer and closer relationships amongst our universities.

   We are firmly convinced that the peaceful integration between the North and the South of the Mediterranean is possible particularly because the Mediterranean peoples want it; and it is for this reason that the role of the universities, and in a broader sense, of the centres of higher education, is of the utmost importance.

   Over the 15 years elapsed since CMU foundation we have been meeting people of different ethnic origins and religions, clever and valuable and university fellows with whom we have established links of profitable cooperation. All this has corroborated our feeling that what we face is still an uphill winding road full of difficulties but also our belief that this same road lays on the pillars of dialogue and common work.

   Our firm conviction that this is the road to take is supported by the attitude of Supranational Organizations, the European Union in the first place, that seems to have in the end understood that the bordering Mediterranean peoples are the interlocutors it needs which require cooperation and common work.

   For this reason today's meeting, far from being only focused on the subjects indicated in the agenda, is also intended to identify potential and actual actions to carry on together with the aim of establishing amongst us a strong link of cooperation within the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

   This is why we are honoured to have with us today my dear friend, architect Michele Capasso, President of the "Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo" who so skillfully organized the "2nd Euro-Mediterranean Forum Civil" in Naples this last December. At the end of the Forum the guidelines governing cooperation between Europe and non Community Mediterranean Countries (Mediterranean Third Countries-MTC) were drawn up.

   It is up to us, starting from today, to make the hopes and expectations of Supranational Organizations but, above all, of our peoples come true. Just as an indication I would like to submit to your attention some projects that the network of Polytechnics and Universities is already able to include in its agenda:

   1) Development of "poles of excellence" in the field of higher education in physics, chemistry, computer science, biology, medicine.

   2) New systems for transferring research results to the industrial sector including package processing and service supply to enterprises;

   3) Continuous education addressed to young graduates based on distant learning technologies.

   Hence it rests with us, dear friends, to begin to work together with the enthusiasm and commitment that, I am sure, we will never be short of.

    

   D) Discussion and Conclusions

   Prof. Plantamura takes the floor to speak about the first point on the agenda and describes the philosophy that has inspired the organizational pattern of the Virtual Observatory. He stresses that the prime aim of the Observatory is not just exchanging mutual information, but constructing a non hierarchical model able to process added-value data destined to public authorities, enterprises, universities and research centres. Prof. Di Benedetta emphasizes the versatile nature of the function of the Observatory that, though starting from the analysis of the socioeconomic aspects of the Mediterranean area, has the intrinsic capacity of covering all the other activities of man.

   Numerous are the orientations emerging from the debate:

•  
• Prof. El-Sherbing emphasizes the need for a small-scale experimentation model;

   

• Prof. Gutfinger draws the attention on the issue of software and organizational protocols;

   

• Prof. Hadhri raises the issue of the nature of the data to be created and processed;

   

• Prof. Xirokostas agrees on the possibility of utilizing the Observatory in the different sectors;
  Mr. Micallef reiterates the urgent need for networking the experiences of the Mediterranean Polytechnics and, upon indication from Prof. Ambrosi, the participants express their agreement on establishing contact regional groups as operational antennas of the Virtual Observatory.

  Architect Capasso takes the floor to speak about point 2 and 3 on the Agenda starting from the Protocol of Cooperation signed by the "Fondazione Labmed" and CMU and approved by the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Forum Civil that took place in Naples last December.

  The issues concerning cooperation in the field of Cultural Heritage Cataloguing receive a general consensus on the part of the participants and Prof. Zezza (with the experience he has acquired in his School of Monument Conservation) and Prof. Civita (analysis of the architectural landscape) reiterate the interest and the scientific validity of the cataloguing procedure.

  Point 3 of the agenda is debated by Prof. Notaristefano who illustrates the modalities of participation and the funding requirements of the Programmes:

   

• MEDA (support to economic transition and to the establishment of a euromediterranean area of free exchange and structural modernization in view of achieving a better socioeconomic balance and an improved regional and interregional cooperation).

   

• TEN-TELECOM (development of transeuropean telecommunication networks and its application fallout on the citizens and SMEs in the form of Internet-based general services and in terms of network infrastructure functioning).

•  
• LIFE (actions for wildlife conservation, for the protection of ecosystems and the safeguard and best management of environmental issues).

  Architect Capasso proposes the setting up of an Observatory on the Mediterranean coasts that are afflicted by the problem of erosion, and by many other adverse effects of human activities. There exists a direct relationship between settlement of human beings on the coasts and impoverishment of rural areas. The present trends are characterized by the simultaneous the creation of megalopolis and the abandonment of rural areas. Therefore a project focusing on socioeconomic and settlement-related relationships between towns-coasts-rural areas is likely to gain acceptance and find application in MTCs. To this purpose architect Capasso informs the participants that a project focused on this issue has already been put in motion on the initiative of France, Greece and Spain but many have been the difficulties emerged in terms of the transferring of the initiative to MTCs due to the lack of any prior monitoring study on the issues in question in those countries.

  Presently a substantial increase in the number of ports and of traffics is being observed in the Mediterranean as this sea is more and more considered as a gate to Asia. This implies a growing concern for the environmental problems likely to jeopardize such a closed sea as the Mediterranean. All these problems are interconnected (environment - cultural heritage - economic development), as there exists a close relationship between tourism development, environment and employment (think for example of the issues linked to reception, tourism and infrastructure policies).

  The "Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo" set up a Corsica-based network of 27 islands. Each island has decided to focus on a subject/project among the others.

  Prof. Mouhtadi takes the floor to inform the participants about the fact that the issue of coastal pollution is given top priority in the field of research in Morocco, a country with 3,000 km of coasts.

  Two are the main research fields in this respect:

  1.  
  2. increase and protection of sea resources;
     b) optimization of the use of tourist resources in general and of maritime resources in particular.

     The Polytechnic of Agadir intends to establish cooperation relationships in this field with the other CMU Universities in order to acquire the know how of these latter in terms of research and human resources specialized in studying and cataloguing the biologic indicator of marine production.

     Morocco is also afflicted with problems deriving from the development of rural areas including desertification. In this country the commonest subjects of research, often reflect the most urgent actions:

  •  
  • best use of plant resources;

     

  • problems linked to water management and desertification;

     

  • diversification and protection of plant varieties.
    These latter are the real weapons against desertification. The Polytechnic of Agadir puts at CMU disposal the body of knowledge it has acquired in the subjects mentioned and proposes to keep on and further explore these fields of research.

    Architect Capasso deems it to be expedient to define in more detail the two projects proposed to the participants in view of obtain the adhesion of the universities they represent and of other universities.

    The two projects are:

     

  • The Socio-Economic Observatory of the Mediterranean (1).

     

  • Cataloguing of the Cultural Heritage (2).
    Asked about their intention to join the projects, the universities answer as follows:

    Prof. Fortunato on behalf of the Polytechnic of Bari declares his adhesion to both projects;

    Prof. El Sherbing gives the adhesion of the Cairo Polytechnic to project (2). He nevertheless declares that both the University of Port-Said and of Alexandria are already concerned with the two issues dealt with and therefore it is his intention to ask for their availability to join projects (1) and (2). Prof. Pages joins project (2) on behalf of the Polytechnic of Barcelona and undertakes to indicate the names of other universities willing to join project (1);

    Prof. Xirokostas of the Polytechnic of Athens declares his availability to join project (2);

    Prof. Haifa from the Polytechnic of Haifa joins project (2);

    Prof. Hadhri from the Polytechnic of Tunis undertakes to get in touch with Agency for Cultural Heritage likely to be interested in project (1), whereas the Polytechnic could join project (2) once ascertained its availability to do so.

    Prof. Mauhtadi from the Polytechnic of Agadir declares his availability to join the two projects once he has ascertained the willingness of its human resources and researchers.

    Prof. Marovic of the Polytechnic of Split declares his availability to undertake the two projects but he stresses that is not entitled to make commitments without prior authorization by the Governing Body of his university.

    Prof. Micallef from the Polytechnic of Malta declares his availability to join project (2) and he undertakes to verify the existence of research already underway on this topic as well as to ascertain the availability of its Polytechnic to join project (1) also.

    Prof. Skuletic from the Podgoritza Polytechnic declares his availability to join both projects.

    Discussion on point 4 of the agenda ends with the participants undertaking to identify in their own countries the contact person or institution for project (2). A methodology that will be extended to all the other common fields of study and projects.

    In conclusion architect Capasso informs the participants that late in June 1998 a preliminary meeting will take place in Palermo in view of the Conference of the European Ministries of Culture to be held in Greece.

    Prof. Pages states that the Polytechnic University of Barcelona is fully available to organize meetings with CMU and the other Polytechnics as well as to submit common projects to the European Union.

    Thereafter point 6 of the agenda is discussed. President Ambrosi reminds the participants about the experience of CMU Schools, a first approach adopted by the universities to urge countries to give full equivalence to the degrees awarded in the different Mediterranean countries thanks to an agreement subscribed by the adhering Universities.

    It is a way of acting that goes in the opposite direction of the policy generally adopted by central governments vis-à-vis universities.

    Prof. Di Benedetta submit to the attention of the participants the proposal Prof. Beneyto (UNESCO) advanced during the December 1997 Euromed in Naples: setting in motion 3 or 4 post-graduate thematic syllabuses (women's role, desertification, regional integration).

    As a general rule, Prof. Di Benedetta proposes the following restructuring criteria for the Schools that intend to set up Master courses:

  1.  
  2. the School must operate on a Mediterranean macroregional scale;

      

  3. they must be made up of schools from at least 3 different countries.
     Prof. De Blasi proposes that these Schools base their teaching on distance-learning technologies (tele-education).

     On behalf of the University of Lecce he declares his availability to supply the whole technological support to create an enlarged school open to the polytechnics and to the other universities of the Mediterranean adhering to CMU.

     This system of education-communication is likely to find interdisciplinary fields of applications (emergencies, telemedicine, pollution control, etc.).

     Finally he proposes to set up Master courses based on the system of "credits".

     Prof. Gutfinger feels the field of Master Courses to be very interesting even in view of the fact that in Israel the industrial sector already requires to add the training received in a course of Master to the 4 years of undergraduate studies necessary to obtain a degree of engineer as these are considered to be not enough to confer an adequate preparation to would-be engineers.

     The proposals put forward are as follows:

      

  4. a traditional Master with a final dissertation;

      

  5. a Total Master Degree or a Teaching Master Degree addressed to future teachers and based on 45 credits (Course of Study + Master).
     As to the exchange of students, Prof. Gutfinger stresses that the Technical University of Haifa has and administrative department dealing with the exchange of students and researchers for 1 or 2 semesters.

     Prof. Fortunato emphasizes that the concept of Master for engineers greatly differs from country to country as it is the case of Italy and Israel (American system).

     In addition, in Italy Master courses are focused on one-only discipline and they have a duration ranging from 3 to 4 years that add to the 5 years of undergraduate studies.

     Prof. Xirokostas from the Technical University of Athens confirms this discrepancy in terms of organization of Master courses in the different Mediterranean countries and informs the participants that in Greece Master courses are interdisciplinary and last 12-15 months.

     In conclusion, in consideration of the differences existing both in terms of nature and organization of the courses of Master in the various Mediterranean Countries the participant decide that priority must be given to the definition of a sole thematic model.

     Prof. Ruggiero informs that Bari-based CSEI has put in motion a Master School on alternative energies involving national institutions such as the University of Basilicata, the Polytechnic of Bari, the Italian Space Agency, and ENEA.

     In conclusion Prof. Ambrosi thanks the participants for their availability and, in agreement with the proposals put forward, he expresses his intention to develop some projects targeted to MEDA Programmes which will be focusing on continuous education in specific subjects. These will represent a starting point to achieve real "points of excellence" in the universities of the Mediterranean area.

     For this reason Professor Ambrosi intends to confer priority to the same points discussed in the meeting. In conclusion he recalls that additional studies and in-depth analyses of the above points would be greatly appreciated and invites the participants advance their proposals in a written form. In this case he would undertake to publish them in CMU Bulletin, a periodical that is regularly dispatched to all CMU members.

     The meeting is brought to a close at 5:30 PM.

      

      

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