The European AQUATECHinn 4.0 project has launched a free digital platform for aquaculture students, technicians and professionals. The tool combines training content with quizzes, gamification and virtual reality activities to support the development of skills linked to the sector’s technological transformation.
The programme is divided into three modules. The first covers new technologies applied to fish and shellfish farming, including recirculating aquaculture systems, hatchery management, precision aquaculture, automation, emerging production systems and data-driven business planning.
The second module focuses on farm sustainability and covers the circular economy, integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, renewable energy and environmental footprint assessment. The third brings together content on health and biosecurity, animal welfare, nutrition, reproduction, omics technologies, new farmed species and water quality control.
The resources developed include a virtual reality environment dedicated to RAS, as well as immersive quizzes and gamification applications. The platform also provides multimedia resources, forums, progress tracking and support in several languages.
AQUATECHinn 4.0 was developed between 2023 and 2026 with co-funding from the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme. Coordinated by SGS Tecnos, the project brought together fourteen universities, research centres, industry associations, companies and training organisations from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Türkiye and Greece.
Spanish participants included CEU Cardenal Herrera University and the University of Santiago de Compostela. Other partners included the University of Algarve, CCMAR, the Portuguese Aquaculture Association, the University of Bologna, the Italian Fish Farmers Association, the Mediterranean Aquaculture Association, France’s National Shellfish Farming Committee and other European organisations.
The involvement of companies and industry bodies sought to align the scientific and educational content with the practical needs of aquaculture farms.
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