Korea Maritime & Ocean University (KMOU), a national university of the Republic of Korea, and EU-CONEXUS – the European University for Smart Urban Coastal Sustainability – are pleased to announce the formal establishment of a new partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Through this agreement, KMOU joins the EU-CONEXUS Alliance as an Associated Partner, marking an important step in expanding international cooperation between Europe and Asia in the fields of maritime and coastal sustainability, higher education, research and innovation.

EU-CONEXUS is one of the alliances selected under the European Commission’s “European Universities Initiative,” bringing together nine European universities committed to addressing global challenges related to smart urban coastal sustainability. The alliance currently includes member universities from across Europe and promotes interdisciplinary education, student and staff mobility, research collaboration, and societal engagement across its European inter-university campus.

As a leading national maritime university in the Republic of Korea, KMOU has developed extensive expertise in maritime studies, ocean science, marine engineering, logistics, fisheries, and sustainable ocean governance, closely aligned with the thematic focus of EU-CONEXUS. Through this partnership, EU-CONEXUS and KMOU aim to strengthen academic and research cooperation while fostering broader international connectivity in the maritime and coastal sustainability fields.

The cooperation is expected to support a wide range of collaborative activities, including:

  • student and staff mobility programmes;
  • joint educational initiatives and short-term academic programmes;
  • collaborative research in areas such as blue economy, coastal resilience, marine technology, and sustainability;
  • international conferences, workshops, and knowledge-sharing activities.

This milestone provides a flexible framework for cooperation and will serve as a basis for future specific initiatives and agreements, in line with the priorities and procedures of both parties.

Both institutions also share a common vision of promoting global dialogue and capacity-building to address emerging maritime and coastal challenges through international higher education cooperation.

Rector Artūras Razbadauskas, Chair of EU-CONEXUS Governing Board, stated:

“We are very pleased to welcome Korea Maritime & Ocean University as an Associated Partner of the EU-CONEXUS Alliance. This partnership represents an important opportunity to strengthen connections between European and Asian institutions that share a strong commitment to sustainable coastal and maritime development.”

President Ryoo Dongkeun, Korea Maritime & Ocean University, stated:

“This partnership with EU-CONEXUS represents a significant milestone in KMOU’s global engagement strategy. We look forward to deepening cooperation with European partner universities and contributing together to the advancement of sustainable maritime education, research, and innovation.”

Both parties expressed their commitment to developing concrete collaborative initiatives in the coming years and to further strengthening international academic and research cooperation between Europe and Asia.