TRACHMED Project Kick-Off Meeting

 

 

20–22 February 2025
Marmara University, Istanbul

 

The TRACHMED Project (Project No: 101182876) was officially launched with a three-day Kick-Off Meeting hosted by Marmara University in Istanbul between 20–22 February 2025. Bringing together researchers and institutional partners from 12 countries, the meeting marked the formal beginning of a collaborative research journey addressing climate change, migration, and energy insecurity as intertwined transnational challenges in the Mediterranean.

 

Day 1 – Setting the Foundations

 

The first day focused on establishing the conceptual, administrative, and collaborative framework of the project.

 

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks by Prof. Erhan Doğan and Dr. İbrahim Mazlum (Marmara University), followed by the introduction of TRACHMED’s objectives and research vision by Assoc. Prof. H. Deniz Genç. Participants were introduced to the project’s structure, work packages, deliverables, and secondment mechanisms.

 

A key highlight of the day was the session delivered by Aleksandra Schoetz-Sobczak, Project Officer at the Research Executive Agency (REA), who provided essential policy background, implementation guidelines, and strategic expectations under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions framework.

 

The afternoon sessions were dedicated to detailed discussions on project management, research streams, and alignment of individual research interests. This interactive exchange laid the groundwork for long-term academic collaboration and intellectual cohesion across institutions.

 

Day 2 – Framing Transnational Challenges

The second day provided a comprehensive intellectual deep dive into the core themes of the project through thematic roundtables and expert-led discussions.

 

The morning began with a roundtable on Transnationalism in Social Sciences, featuring contributions from:

 

• Prof. Ronaldo Munck (Dublin City University)
• Prof. Ayhan Kaya (Istanbul Bilgi University / SWP)
• Assoc. Prof. Rustam Urinboyev (Lund University)

 

 

Subsequent sessions examined the Mediterranean as a space shaped by historical, geopolitical, and governance dynamics. Contributions included:

 

• Dr. Samir Aita on fragile states and regional power projection
• Assoc. Prof. Massimiliano Trentin & Assoc. Prof. Francesca Biancani (University of Bologna) on historical transnational dynamics
• Assoc. Prof. Merve Özdemirkıran on European involvement in the Eastern Mediterranean

 

 

The afternoon sessions focused on TRACHMED’s three interconnected pillars:

 

Migration

 

• Prof. Suna Gülfer Ihlamur Öner on the Euro-Mediterranean migration regime
• Prof. Francisco Entrena-Durán & Prof. Pilar Morales-Giner on the global climate–energy–migration nexus
• Assoc. Prof. H. Deniz Genç on the implementation and impact of UNTOC and the Migrant Smuggling Protocol in the Mediterranean

 

 

Climate Change

 

• Dr. İbrahim Mazlum on climate security and water resources
• Prof. Sevil Acar on environmental and energy policies in the low-carbon transition
• Prof. Rana Atabay on climate change within the framework of SDGs and green transformation

 

 

Energy Insecurity

 

• Prof. Mitat Çelikpala on Mediterranean energy geopolitics
• Prof. Emre İşeri on the renewable energy–climate nexus in the Eastern Mediterranean
• Dr. Osman Zeki Gökçe on regional energy dependencies
• Prof. Omar Elbadawy (CEDARE) on interconnected energy insecurity challenges

These discussions underscored the Mediterranean as a deeply interconnected political and socio-environmental space where national-level policies are insufficient to address transnational risks.

 

 

Day 3 – Research in Action: Methods Workshop

 

The final day was dedicated to methodological training and research design, equipping early-stage and senior researchers with tools for impactful fieldwork and policy-oriented scholarship.

 

Sessions included:

 

• Applied Quantitative Research Methods – Assoc. Prof. Hakan Mehmetçik
• Engaged Research and Policy Impact – Prof. Ronaldo Munck
• Ethnographic Fieldwork with Hard-to-Reach Migrant Communities – Assoc. Prof. Rustam Urinboyev & Dr. Sherzod Eraliev
• Gender-Sensitive Research Approaches – Prof. Honor Fagan

 

The meeting concluded with a discussion on consortium agreements and next steps, formally consolidating the project’s operational and intellectual roadmap.

 

A Foundational Moment for TRACHMED

 

The Kick-Off Meeting was more than an administrative launch; it was the intellectual and strategic foundation of TRACHMED. By combining policy insight from the REA, theoretical engagement with transnationalism, region-specific expertise on Mediterranean challenges, and robust methodological training, the consortium established a shared research agenda grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world impact.

Funded by the European Commission under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, TRACHMED now moves forward with a strong conceptual framework, coordinated research streams, and a committed international network dedicated to addressing the intertwined challenges of climate change, migration, and energy insecurity in the Mediterranean.