COLUMBUS: Monitoring, Managing and Transferring Marine and Maritime Knowledge for Sustainable Blue Growth

We are at the dawn of a century that will be greatly affected by how we, as a society, are able to manage our oceans and their resources. Marine and maritime research plays a critical role in developing our understanding of the seas and in advancing technology so that we can develop their economic potential in a sustainable way.

The COLUMBUS project aims to capitalise on significant EU research by ensuring the accessibility and understanding of research results to end-users (policy, industry, science and society at large). COLUMBUS will ensure measurable value creation from research investments that contribute to sustainable blue growth within the project timeframe.

Adopting proven methodologies and building on significant past work, COLUMBUS will first identify the end-user’s priorities and needs. It will then identify and compile “knowledge” generated in past and present European projects. Rigorous analysis will be carried out to identify specific applications and end-users. Transfer will be achieved and measured through tailor-made knowledge transfer. All collected knowledge will be made accessible through the Marine Knowledge Gate.

To achieve all this, COLUMBUS has assembled a multi-disciplinary team of stakeholders representing all links in the research value chain, from funding agencies to end-users. Key strategic networks and initiatives further strengthen and provide a strong instrument for project legacy. A network of 9 competence nodes, each with a “Knowledge Officer” and a support team across Europe, will provide the necessary critical mass (470 MP of effort) to ensure full coverage, both thematically and spatially.

COLUMBUS will also carry out strategic actions to increase the visibility and impact of research on stakeholders and European citizens. In addition, working with funding agencies and stakeholders, COLUMBUS will explore the feasibility of improved systems and processes to ensure measurable research value creation.