At the beginning of October, as part of the AquaBioNets project, we are gathering experts, researchers and representatives of the aquaculture sector at the International Summer School on Sustainable Aquaculture , which will take place from October 6th to 8th, 2026. held in Alghero, Sardinia.

The summer school program was largely shaped by the results of a needs assessment conducted in the six countries involved in the project . Through discussions and work with representatives of SMEs, the research community, the public sector and other stakeholders, we identified topics that are currently particularly important for more sustainable aquaculture – from the use of biodegradable and biocompatible materials, durability and performance of nets, microplastics and the impact on the marine environment, to regulatory issues and the economic viability of new solutions.

AquaBioNets is coordinated by a team from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture , led by Prof. Dr. Sc. Nikola Vladimir and Dr. Marija Koričan , and one of the key activities of the project is the development and testing of aquaculture nets made of natural, biodegradable materials.

In the development of solutions, their testing and the discussions that follow, we aim to involve stakeholders from the entire value chain, in line with the Living Lab approach we use in the project. Our goal is not to hear just one perspective in the process, but to connect researchers, producers, growers, SMEs, public institutions and other relevant actors. In this way, we want to encourage mutual communication, better understand the real needs of the sector and together seek answers to practical problems and challenges that accompany the transition towards more sustainable solutions.

An important role in this process is played by the Croatian shellfish farm Platforma22 , our associated partner, where AquaBioNets biodegradable nets are tested in real conditions. We are also taking their representatives to Sardinia to hear first-hand the experiences and reactions of the farmers and get practical feedback on how the new solutions perform in everyday work.

Interest in the summer school is already very high and the maximum number of live participants has been reached. Therefore, only applications for online participation are now open.

We invite all interested parties to join us online at the beginning of October. The work agenda has already been published on the official event page of the summer school , and will be finalized and supplemented with the exact titles of the presentations and names of the lecturers in the coming days.

For us at the Knowledge Network, who lead communication activities in the project and participate in working with stakeholders and developing content for capacity building, this summer school will be another opportunity to connect the project results with the concrete needs of the sector and open a conversation between those who develop new solutions and those who need to implement them in practice. The Knowledge Network will be represented at the Summer School by Domagoj Račić, Ivana Mihaljević and Lea Pavlović.