Program

Click here to see the Mediterranean Ecosystems: Biodiversity, Threats and Conservation Actions Leaflet

Credits: 6 ECTS, 3 USC

The program is divided into three modules:

Module 1: Mediterranean wetlands

​Discovering the key features of Ebro Delta 

• History and evolution of Ebro Delta
• Habitat features and protection levels
• The role of biodiversity in Ebro Delta
• Critically endangered situations: the case of Iberian Killifish and Pen Shells
• Primary resources performance in Ebro Delta 
• Top three main problems: invasive species, erosion, and water use
• Management proposals from stakeholders' views 

Trips included:

• Cosmocaixa: science museum
• L'Encanyissada: a green engineering case 
• Món Natura museum: traditional & conventional fishing
• Trabucador beach: the impacts of last storms
• Riet Vell Reserve: sustainable methods to manage rice fields
• Ebro river: the impact of tourism on a fragile ecosystem 

Module 2: Mediterranean forests

Discovering the Mediterranean natural environments and forest fires

• Mediterranean forests: features, global distribution, and climate adaptations
• Cork oak forests: features, physiology, global distribution, types, and biodiversity
• The cork oak as a product: history, features, uses, current situation, cork extraction, and conservation actions
• Cork oak forests' conservation challenges: global warming, forest fires, and diseases
• Forest management and prevention actions 
• Key issues to keep biodiversity 

Trips included: 

• The cork oak and the Mediterranean scrub: main trees and shrub species
• Cork Museum (Palafrugell)
• De Maria Taps: natural cork stopper company (Cassà de la Selva) 
• Can Vilallonga: forest grazing as a management tool and cork peeling as an ancestral activity
• CRAM: Foundation dedicated to the protection of the marine environment and the species that inhabit it. 

Module 3: Mediterranean rocky coast

Discovering the natural environment of the Mediterranean rocky shore environment and the small littoral marshlands 

• Mediterranean habitats distribution, biodiversity, and survival strategies
• The littoral system: land connected with the marine environment (cliffs, sandy beaches, and wetlands on rocky shores)
• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and littoral ecosystems: natural values, protection figures, threats, and solutions
• Littoral ecosystems: management proposals

Trips included:

• Snorkeling activity at Medes Islands (Estartit): shallow underwater habitats and biodiversity of the Medes Islands 
• Montgrí cliffs and rocky shores of an MPA: a global view on marine environment threats
• Baix Ter littoral marshlands: restoration, conservation, and management. Reserve effects 
• Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona 

 Program Highlights

• Core sessions  
  This program has been developed together with biologists and natural sciences experts. 
• Company visits  
  To get a deeper and further understanding of the current Mediterranean Ecosystems, you will get the chance to visit three different ecosystems. Whilst exploring the ecosystems, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and talk to scientific professionals directly in person. 
• 6 ECTS / 3 USC   
  After successful completion of the Summer Program, you will receive a certificate and credits which can be further transferred to higher education institutions. 
• Free-time activities   
  Alongside the academic side of the program, we also offer free time so that you get the chance to explore the wonders of the great Barcelona city and its surrounding. This will include city tours and a cultural program free of charge.
• Accommodation  
  You will be provided with shared double or individual rooms. 

Mediterranean Ecosystems video 

General admission requirements

For acceptance on a Study Abroad program you need to:

• Be currently enrolled at a higher educational institution
• Have sufficient ability in the program's language of instruction (level B2 for courses taught in English).

Application

Individual enrolments

(please read carefully the information below before completing the application process)

1. Fill in the Application Form 
2. Payment of the application fee of 650€. Use the button in the bar at the top "Add to cart"
3. Send these required documents:
   • Completed Application Form
   • A copy of your Passport
   • A copy of a certificate that you are currently enrolled at a higher education institution or university
   • Academic Records
   • A copy of a certificate confirming your level of English (not required for students whose mother tongue is English)
   • Confirmation of application fee payment (650€)* *screenshot of the payment confirmation page

• When we receive your application, we will check that you meet the requirements for the course and contact you by email.
• Once you have been accepted into the course, we will send instructions on how to finish the enrolment to the program and pay the remaining balance.
• When you have paid the fees, we will send you a letter of acceptance so you can apply for a visa, if necessary.
• At least one month before the course is due to start you should send a copy of your medical and accident insurance policy.

Group enrolments

Talk to your Academic Coordinator or International Office at your home University.

For group enrolments send an email to studyabroad@uvic.cat

Application deadline

(two options according to accommodation needs):

• Course and Accommodation: March 26^th, 2025

• Course without Accommodation: May 30^th, 2025

Regulations

• Regulations for UVic-UCC Summer Programs