ABACUS FOUNDATION - EUROPEAN INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH, STUDY AND TRAINING.

Abacus Foundation, in line with the principles and objectives included in the Barcelona Declaration (November 1995), means to:
- Contribute to develop relations between the EU and Mediterranean countries by consolidating and strengthening multilateral cooperation, intensifying joint efforts among individual countries;
- Promote and support exchange programs and economic and trade relations, with the involvement of organizations and associations, public and private entities operating in the area;
- Promote conferences, seminars, events to favour public awareness and access to cultural heritage and a permanent and open dialogue among the countries of the Euro-Mediterranean basin, promoting communication, cooperation among peoples;
-  Contribute to the enhancement of the common Mediterranean identity and the affirmation of the rights of citizenship;
- Promote relations with countries of the European Community and with public and private agencies and organizations (memoranda of understanding, framework agreements, etc.) in order to develop and implement sustainable development projects;
- Establish a research and technological cultural and social innovation centre in order to develop a network of cooperation with universities, foundations, associations, agencies and institutions of the Euro-Mediterranean
basin countries and to promote cultural and scientific exchanges to carry out joint projects capable of achieving and enhancing the Euro-Mediterranean partnership;
- Promote and implement publishing initiatives, coordinate and develop the activities of committees and study groups, to print the acts of the activities the Foundation has the copyright publication and commercial use, and furthermore the publication of a periodic magazine;
- The Foundation will also organize cultural institutions and vocational training courses as well as information courses on EU policy issues, with particular attention to the problems of southern Italy and to migration and cooperation issues;
- The setting up of a socio-economic disciplines  and European Studies specialized library, according to the Foundation study and research areas;
- Protection of the Euro-Mediterranean area’s archaeological, cultural and historical heritage, promoting Mediterranean culture, encouraging cultural exchanges and cultural and environmental tourism, activating stipulations of international conventions and / or cooperation agreements with all public and private organizations having the same interests in knowing and integrating peoples bordering the Mediterranean, contributing to the
development of the same basin with development projects;
- Encourage and promote the establishment of study and research centres, seminars, workshops, schools and university courses and advanced training courses such as Masters, postgraduate courses and plans for further training and updating;
- Maintain direct relationships, even on a contractual basis with universities and research institutions, consortia and their emanations, both Italian and foreign, in order to start and develop university courses, University Masters and research / study activities;
- Promote all appropriate steps in order to develop university courses, Masters, University and non-specialist courses,  research/study or other activities, independently and / or in connection with Italian or foreign universities and research institutions, satisfying the requirements of the professional job market, marked by new training needs for both private and public sectors in terms of competent professionals;
- Develop training and education, through design and implementation of an integrated system of services and support infrastructures.
The Foundation's activities will also be implemented through the use of funds and contributions provided by local, regional, national and EU level.
The Foundation may assign to third particularly qualified parties, individual research agendas of key sectors and issues, in order to draw practical proposals to be disclosed publicly even in institutional settings.