This is a higher education student and staff mobility project, please consult the website of the organisation to obtain additional details.

MareMathics is an Erasmus+, KA2, Strategic Partnership project with the aim of supporting the creation and implementation of innovative practices in mathematics education for students of maritime studies across Europe, promoting cooperation of respective institutions, peer learning and exchange of experience among teaching staff.In contemporary mathematical classrooms at maritime universities, students learn early on that study of mathematics is realized by sitting still, filling out worksheets and by following mathematical procedures that are rigid and set in stone. Mathematical problems and procedures presented to students are mainly oriented to solutions of mathematical problems that are in general unrelated to the student's later seafarer profession. Consequently, the perception of mathematical education by many students at maritime universities is that knowledge of mathematics is not essential for advancement of their future seafarer careers. This fosters the lack of students’ interest for mathematical education, and is characterized by low success rates at mathematical exams, sometimes as low as 8% success to fail ratio. Furthermore, because many of courses at maritime universities rely on prior knowledge of mathematics the lack of fundamental knowledge of mathematics is the main cause for low success on these exams and it is the cause of high drop-out rate of students at maritime universities. For example, in 2017 about 50% of first year students dropped out from the study of navigation at Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split where most of the drop-out students listed the mathematics as the main cause for the failure. The similar problem is reported by maritime universities in Croatia, and partners' countries: Poland, Estonia and Latvia.In previous cooperation among higher education maritime institutions involved in this project, it was agreed that the students of these study programmes have shown difficulties in completing their tasks within this subject and statistics, showing therefore both low success rates, as well as learning outcomes below expectations. Motivation is not showing high levels either and consequently, teachers of mathematics are willing to search and explore new teaching tools and methods to change these trends.As a result, project envisages support for teachers of mathematics at maritime study programmes, in the form of innovative teaching methods, using contemporary IT and communication tools.Project Partners:P1 University of Split (Faculty of Maritime Studies), CroatiaP2 Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian Maritime Academy, EstoniaP3 Latvian Maritime Academy, LatviaP4 Polish Naval Academy, PolandP5 Toni Milun– Independent Microenterprise, Croatia

"Unified Universities Consortium called KONSMUND that operates within the social sciences in the field of security sciences entitled: ""Defensive education in the system of non-military defense preparations of the state,"" is made of seven universities. These are: the War Studies University (formerly National Defense University), Naval Academy, Academy of Land Forces (formerly Land Forces Military College), Military University of Technology, Higher Police School in Szczytno, Main School of Fire Service and Polish Air Force University (formerly: Higher School of Air Force Officers). They work closely with universities in Poland and abroad in terms of exchange of students and teachers. The university’s main purpose of participating in the Consortium project was to enable its students, as well as teachers and employees, to take advantage of opportunities offered by institutions and universities outside of the country. This allowed participants for scientific and personal development as well as to acquire competencies, soft and hard, necessary in the labor market. In the future, synergy of those competencies will shape an employee who responds to the needs of a employer.According to the financial agreement, the beneficiaries of the project were students leaving / arriving for studies and internships as well as employees leaving / arriving in order to conduct didactic activities and carry out trainings. The university consortium has completed 49 students’ and 69 staff’s mobilities. In total, there were 118 beneficiaries that travelled abroad. Organizational support granted to handle SMS, SMP, STA and STT trips amounted EUR 38 600. The project’s budget was implemented at 72.72% (EUR 184,380.00) in relation to the funds allocated (EUR 253,560). Among students going abroad, 53.06% were men and 46.94% women. In the group of employees, 47.83% were men, and 52.17% were women.Ensuring high-quality exchanges within the KONSMUND project included assessing the learning outcomes achieved. The recurring meetings of project’s coordinators helped to improve communication between universities and beneficiaries, as well as to ensure the dissemination of project’s results. All participants were surrounded by substantive support mainly from the Erasmus+ office and university and academic staff. Foreign students, when deciding to study in Poland, could count on the help from Erasmus + office and Polish students, called Mentors. In KONSMUND, the financial scholarship was paid before the departure to the partner institution. Each agreement regarding the program of studies, apprenticeships, classes or training was approved before the departure and preceded by thorough examination of offers of the cooperating institutions.Informational activities put in place, promoting and disseminating the results of the project at cooperating colleges, contributed to the increase of its common knowledge. These activities were carried out centrally in War Studies University and individually by each of the universities of the Consortium through:1. Central information channels during: meetings of KONSMUND coordinators, International Week, international student conferences, thematic international evenings, Erasmus student study visits in uniformed profiled secondary schools, sports Olympiads of Erasmus students.2. Individual projects: faculties’ meetings , in the dormitories, meetings during didactic classes, with employees, foreign students, STA and STT visits of foreign employees, joint classes of Erasmus + international students with Polish students, visits and cultural trips (Erasmus Trip), publications, information on websites, on social media.The implemented project increased the level of education of the students of the Consortium, increased their language, personal, social and intercultural competences. As a result, because of the acquired experience during foreign studies and internships, students become more attractive on the labor market. Some foreign students were offered a paid internship or even a job. On the other hand, for staff, participation in KONSMUND allowed to broaden knowledge, improve language competences, acquire international experience as well as expand their network connections that resulted in joint projects or conferences. Moreover, completed mobility increased their job satisfaction and commitment and gave them the opportunity to for career advancement. The beneficiaries of the program became more open and curious of the world and felt like citizens of Europe. Our local environment/campus become internationalized due to the presence of foreign students and employees. It improved the attractiveness and quality of the didactic processes at the universities of the Consortium. Universities began to work intensively with each other, launching some new initiatives in Poland and abroad."

This action supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students and staff from EU Member States and third countries associated to Erasmus+ to any country in the world. Students in all study fields and cycles can take part in a study period or traineeship abroad. Higher education teaching and administrative staff can take part in professional development activities abroad, as well as staff from the field of work in order to teach and train students or staff at higher education institutions.

Participation in the project for the Polish Naval Academy was a priority, because thanks to it, students could develop in scientific and personal terms and acquire the necessary soft and hard competencies necessary in the labour market, whose synergy creates an ideal employee. From the point of view of the employer, the development of administrative and scientific employees is a contribution to the development of the university in both the didactic and scientific fields. The program results mainly from newly signed inter-institutional agreements, cooperation agreements, an increased number of students leaving for studies and internships, as well as academic and personal development. In addition, it should be emphasized that we are very lucky to participate in the KONSMUND project - a consortium of uniformed universities in POLAND. Thanks to that, we have even more opportunities to cooperate with the Polish Naval Academy in the international arena. As for the assumptions from the contract, the total number of participants envisaged in the contract was not exceeded, as it was assumed that 73 people would leave, and eventually, 64 people left. 56 students enrolled in the program for both master's and bachelor's and 1 person for apprenticeships. Like every year, this time the students mainly chose Greece, Croatia and the Czech Republic. It was assumed that 60 people would be sent to exchange as part of SMS, but this number was not exceeded. It should be added that the majority of participants are women. In addition, as many as 21 people are social students or people who come from an environment that hinders the start. The level of internationalization of the Polish Naval Academy has increased significantly since ECHE was obtained for higher education. As a university with a dual status, namely civil-military (being under the tutelage of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education), we focus our attention primarily on cooperation with universities with a similar profile to develop directions related to security and defence and the navy. At the same time, we are still developing contacts with civilian universities, so that both civilian and military researchers can fully develop, but also to have an interesting offer for administrative employees. The Polish Naval Academy plans further cooperation with foreign partners in the field of mobility. It is justified by a few arguments above all the development of students and increasing their attractiveness on the labour market for future employers. Moreover, cooperation with foreign partners develops teachers and university administration because they have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with teaching processes at other universities and establish contacts that may in the future to turn into cooperation on international projects. Additionally, it should be emphasized that we have signed new cooperation agreements with universities in Italy, Slovenia, Greece and Croatia. At the same time, we have to boast of success when it comes to organizing language courses for university staff, both academic and administrative. The university coordinator had a sceptical approach to this, however, it turned out that many employees from all AMW units are interested in increasing their competences in this area. Employees travel mainly to Malta, but also to Great Britain. Many people treat it in the prize category. Probably the biggest profit is that many longtime AMW employees come to the office and say after completing language training that for the first time someone did something for them selflessly and personally, and they feel motivated to work and learn a language. At the same time, as a result of signing Erasmus agreements with military universities, we will participate as a university in creating a joint semester for navies. We will prepare training for future officers of the Navy in Europe under the name METOC - specialized hydrological training and English Week.