MARES | About Us

Introduction:

MARES is a programme that carries out research by means of doctoral projects (funded or not through the Erasmus Mundus initiative). Below a more extended description is provided of the structure and background of the doctoral programme.

MARES Objectives:

The general objectives for the Erasmus Mundus European Joint Doctorate “MARES” are :

to develop structured and integrated cooperation in higher education in Marine Sciences, in order to design and implement a common doctoral programme that leads to the award of a mutually recognized joint doctorate degree,
to bring focus to marine doctoral programmes and their institutional dimension by formalizing the nature of doctoral training in the field of Marine Ecosystem Health and Conservation,
to enhance and promote European Higher Education on Marine Ecosystem Health and Conservation throughout the world, and this in close collaboration with the relevant stakeholders,
to pool resources and close the gaps between fields of study, academia and society, and
to train, by research, the leaders of the future generation of researchers and top management staff working for the sustainability of our seas in tropical, temperate and polar areas

MARES Scientific Scope:

MARES will focus on six scientific and applied fields dealing with the effects of impacts of humans on the natural marine environment. These fields will be fully integrated in a three-year doctorate programme under joint supervision.

MARES PhD Structure:

All MARES doctoral candidates will study with two of the partner institutions and will be awarded a joint Ph.D. degree (Doctorate in Marine Sciences). The MARES doctoral programme defines a common foundation in which all doctoral candidates must build on regardless of research topic and institutions. This common foundation is the following :

Research periods with at least two MARES partner institutions
Co-tutelle, resulting in a Joint Doctoral Degree
Obtaining 24 credits in training: at least 10 credits in transferable skills and 10 credits in advanced research topics
Attending and participating in at least two MARES Annual Meetings
Attending and participating in at least two international scientific conferences (with a poster or oral presentation)
Having at least one publication accepted in a peer reviewed journal.

In this way, the MARES doctoral candidates will be involved in common activities, giving them opportunities for networking with other doctoral candidates, other academia, research organizations and enterprises. Based on this partnership, an important ALUMNI post-doc organization can be launched with trained leaders in Marine Ecosystem Health and Conservation.

All doctoral research projects in the MARES doctoral programme include a mandatory collaboration between at least two partners. Therefore, institutional mobility and placements of minimum 6 months is already foreseen at the start of the doctoral period by involving at least two MARES partners per doctoral subject. Each doctoral proejct involves at least two higher education institutions, which enables the awarding of a Joint Doctoral Degree.

MARES works with pre-defined Doctoral Subjects. Applicants apply for a certain doctoral subject which has its research scope, partnership selection and supervisors pre-defined. These doctoral subjects are created by the future supervisors. Doctoral candidates are expected to write a more detailed Doctoral Research Proposal in the first month of the start of their activities, which is then re-evaluated by the MARES Scientific Board.