MERSIN UNIVERSITESI

Their core work

Mersin University is a Turkish public university contributing to marine and aquatic resource research, fisheries technology, and science engagement. Their H2020 work spans climate impact assessment on European fisheries and aquaculture, smart fishing technologies including sensor-based gear innovations, and public science outreach in Turkey. They also participate in open schooling and education pathway initiatives connecting universities with regional communities.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Mersin University's early H2020 involvement (2016-2018) was anchored in marine science — climate impacts on fisheries, aquaculture policy, and sensor-based fishing technologies. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted toward science communication and education innovation, including public engagement events and open schooling models. This progression suggests the university is expanding from domain-specific marine research toward broader societal impact and knowledge transfer roles.

Mersin University is moving from being a technical marine research contributor toward a regional hub for science-society engagement and open education, which could make them a strong outreach partner in future consortia.

How they like to work

Mersin University primarily joins consortia as a participant (3 of 4 projects), with one coordination experience running a science outreach event. With 71 unique partners across 18 countries, they have built a surprisingly broad network for their project count, indicating they join large, multi-partner consortia rather than small focused teams. This makes them an accessible partner comfortable operating within large international groups.

Despite only four projects, Mersin University has collaborated with 71 different partners across 18 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their network spans well beyond Turkey, with connections across the EU marine and education research communities.

What sets them apart

Mersin University offers a rare combination of marine/fisheries expertise and science communication capacity from Turkey's Mediterranean coast — a strategically important region for aquaculture and climate adaptation research. Their location on the eastern Mediterranean gives them access to ecosystems and fishing communities underrepresented in most EU consortia. For coordinators needing a Turkish partner with both technical marine research and public engagement credentials, they are a practical choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CERES
  Their largest funded project (EUR 125,000), addressing the high-impact topic of climate change effects on European aquatic resources and fisheries policy.
• MERSCIN
  Their only coordinated project — an international science night event demonstrating their capacity to lead public engagement initiatives in Turkey.
• SMARTFISH
  An Innovation Action (IA) developing practical sensor-based fishing gear technologies, showing applied technology development capability beyond basic research.