UNIC training - The essential skills for the Future of European Ports

• Learn directly from leading European port experts, researchers and work professionals

• Build an international network with peers from Rotterdam, Cork, Malmö, and other UNIC cities

• Explore real cases through city labs, mutual learning exercises, field visits, and hands‑on sessions

• Gain transdisciplinary skills relevant for your practice trough collaborative and learning exercises

• Learn from Rotterdam’s port ecosystem from the inside

This training creates a shared learning environment where participants partners exchange practices, methods, and insights related to port‑city innovation. Through the UNIC Centre for City Futures, participants will explore the topics of risk preparation, future thinking, engagement and vital systems.

The programme will feature contributions from, but not limited to:

Erasmus Centre for Urban, Port and Transport Economics (UPT)

• Giuliano Mingardo — Senior Researcher, Urban & Transport Economics

• Maurice Jansen — Senior Researcher & Business Developer

Port of Rotterdam / City of Rotterdam

• Senior Policy Maker, City of Rotterdam

• Janneke Lauwerijssen Coordiantor port, City of Rotterdam

  
  

University College Cork / Port of Cork

• Ciara O'Halloran- Co-creation special, Centre for City Futures Cork lead

• Port representative, Cork port Authority

Malmö University / Port of Malmö 

• Senior researcher Lead PI

• Pablo Vilches, process and workshop designer, Storm Innovation hub

UNIC Coordination

• Semiha Denktas — UNIC Alliance Coordinator

• Marco Aperti — Local Director, Centre for City Futures Rotterdam

Programme 

11 May – Arrival

• Arrival and optional dinner

12 May – Day 1: Risk Preparation & Future Thinking

• Opening sessions / setting the tone

• Rotterdam 2050 / which future

• The Storm mindset/ knowledge exchange

• Centre for City Future / engaged one stop shop

13 May – Day 2: Vital Systems & Engagement

• Executive education / port and logistics 

• Cork and Malmo / port ecosystems

• Guided tour Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) / the city lab 

14 May – Departure

• Individual departures

Admissions and Fees

• Eligibility: Professors, professionals and PhDs from all UNIC cities and universities.

• Application deadline: Registration on a rolling base.

• Cost: Free of charge.

• Travel and accommodation: Not included. Check with your local UNIC office if local support is available.

• Certificate of attendance will be provided. 

Please note: Days are confirmed but timing of sessions is tentative and subject to change in order to secure your spot please fill in the survey. 

Priority will be given to participants who attend both training days.

Questions about the programme? Reach out to unic@eur.nl.