Strategic Research Directions

Overall aim: Developing future technologies and improving status of marine environment.

Research priorities:

• healthy marine ecosystems;
• new methods for surveillance and forecast of marine environment;
• sustainable management of marine resources through development of aquaculture and blue technologies;
• marine transport decarbonisation and increase of energetic efficiency;
• technologies based on circular economy principles and sustainable use of resources;
• advanced information engineering and digitilisation technologies.

Expected long-term impacts:

• improved capacity of ecosystem recovery,
• good status of habitats and rich water resources;
• feasibly planned marine space;
• clean and healthy beaches;
• sustainable, smart and effective water transport and harbors;
• comprehensive and effective environmental monitoring;
• good status of freshwater ecosystems, seas and oceans;
• viable natural resources and ecosystem services;
• improved human health and well-being;
• enhanced energetic efficiency and security;
• creation of new jobs and economic growth;
• advance of blue and green growth technologies.

Overall aim: provision of smart solutions for sustainable development of the society and its health and well-being.

Research priorities:

• maintenance and strengthening of personal and public health;
• creation of healthy living and working environment;
• management of health and diseases;
• development and adoption of innovative and sustainable health care systems and technologies.

Expected long-term impacts:

• improved human health and well-being.
• longer healthy life expectance;
• increased security of working and social environment;
• reduced morbidity by acute and chronic diseases;
• new diagnostic and treatment technologies;
• Interventions for reduction of health inequalities
• positive dynamics in Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY);
• effective strategies for health support;
• health favorable living environment;
• effective, complex and sustainable diagnostic and treatment solutions;
• effective health management, security and satisfaction;
• complex strategies of stress management;
• improved physical and mental health.

Overall aim: contribution to social sustainability, the well-being of individuals and economic growth through analysis of social and cultural phenomena in the Baltic coastal areas from the historical and contemporary perspectives.

Research priorities:

• man in the landscape: transformations of settlement patterns and lifestyles;
• social and cultural change in the southeast Baltic region from the Middle Ages to the present day;
• linguistic and symbolic systems of coastal communities;
• transformations of social and spatial structures in coastal societies;
• human resources, regional identity, and cohesive society;
• social innovations and competitiveness of the coastal region;
• human psychosociological development and well-being: determining factors and their interaction;
• socioeducational research on human well-being.

Expected long-term impacts. Cutting-edge research of social and cultural processes of the Baltic coastal regions:

• is closely linked to participation in national and international networks;
• is associated with relevant University study programmes (research-informed teaching);
• is based on interconnections between social sciences and humanities as well as natural sciences and technology;
• results in public social and cultural events;
• relies on partnerships with public organisations and institutions, particularly municipalities, communities, and public media;
• deepens our knowledge of social and cultural processes in coastal regions and disseminates it to local, national, and international audiences;
• strengthens the consciousness and identity of society;
• increases trust in science of local industry, business, governmental sector and society;
• extends participation in local governance and planning processes through research-based expert solutions.