Held as part of the EUNICoast General Assembly in Dubrovnik, the meeting of the External Advisory Board brought together experts from public administration, research, industry and territorial organisations to strengthen the Alliance's strategic direction. The Board focused on how EUNICoast can generate meaningful long-term impact in coastal and island regions, and on how external advice can be translated more effectively into alliance governance and decision-making.
A central point of discussion was the Board's first position paper on impact, which argues that impact should be understood not as visibility or short-term activity, but as durable change embedded in institutions, policies, partnerships and territorial ecosystems. The discussion highlighted the importance of structural embedding, place-based implementation, stronger definitions of community impact, and early attention to long-term sustainability beyond the current project cycle.
The meeting also helped clarify how the External Advisory Board will work in the coming year. Members agreed on an active and continuous advisory model, including regular online exchanges, closer consultation on specific topics, and stronger links with alliance priorities. Luz Paramio (Board of Direction of the Regional Fund for Science and Technology, Azores Regional Government) and Mihail Nenov (Deputy Mayor of Burgas) were appointed as co-chairs for a one-year mandate, helping to support continuity and coordination.
The session also reinforced key messages for EUNICoast's future: involve students as active partners, rely on the Board's diverse expertise, and ensure that the Alliance's work remains closely connected to the realities of coastal and island communities.
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