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

• Janneke Lauwerijssen Coordinator port, City of Rotterdam

  
  

University College Cork 

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

• Jeremy Gault,  Operations Manager and MaREI Thematic Lead for Coastal and Marine Systems. 

Malmö University / Port of Malmö 

• 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 / engagement and future thinking 

• 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. 

• Deadline 8th May.

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. 

Explore the full programme (opens in a new tab): 

UNIC The essential skills for the future of European Ports 12 -13 May 2026, Rotterdam.pdf

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