The Ocean CD-Hub is a global repository of information on capacity development opportunities related to ocean science and management. 

The platform contains information on existing capacity development opportunities offered by national, regional and global organisations from all over the world. It has 13 buttons that represent the following categories of capacity development opportunities:

• • • • • • Training and Higher Education
          • Onboard Expeditions, Research & Training
          • Fellowships
          • Internships/Jobs
          • Mentorships
          • Visiting Lecturers/Scholars & Exchanges
          • Professional Networks & Community Building
          • Awards
          • Travel Grants
          • Research Funding, Grants & Scholarships
          • Access to Infrastructure
          • Ocean Literacy, Public Information & Communication
          • Ocean Data, Documentation & Information

The Ocean CD-Hub also aims to identify synergies and potential partnerships with other organizations providing capacity development opportunities, avoiding duplication of efforts and mutualize resources. It also provides centralized (and curated) access to this information, will save time for its target users and also enable providers the opportunity to promote various CD opportunities. 

It can also make it easier for national governments to report on progress and availability of capacity development  opportunities in the context of global efforts such as the Sustainable Development Goals, and the challenges of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

At this stage, there are about 400+ entries in the database and to expand the reach and inclusion of additional information on CD opportunities that are not yet in the online database, we encourage Member States and other CD providers to submit and promote their respective CD efforts on the platform by email to the IOC Capacity Development Manager, Ms Johanna Diwa (jp.diwa@unesco.org).

EXTENDED DEADLINE: 7 JULY 2024, 23:59 (Central European Time)!!!

The UNESCO-IOC invites applications for their Ocean Training Internships for 2024 cohort. This programme aim to provide opportunities for hands-on learning and upskilling through a temporary assignment at host institutions with expertise on subject areas relevant to the IOC mandate. 

For 2024 cohort, six (6) host institutions offer placements to interns providing their expertise in priority areas. Please refer to Annex I of the Application Guidelines for more information about each institution. The three-month internship begins from September – November 2024.

Who can apply?

Internship applicants must:

- be at the early stages of career development;
- be citizens from IOC Member States included in the DAC List of ODA (refer to list below);
- be employed by government institutions; 

- work on activities contributing to implementation of work plans adopted by IOC Regional Sub-Commissions.

How to apply?

Internship applicants should complete the application form online here. 

It is also a requirement to attach a recommendation letter from your supervisor at your employing institution.

DEADLINE for applications is on 23 June 2024 

NEW DEADLINE: 7 JULY 2024, 23:59 (Central European Time)!!!

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:

2024 OCEANTRAINING INTERSHIPS APPLICATION GUIDELINES

OCEANTRAINING INTERNSHIPS APPLICATION TEMPLATE

OECD DAC LIST OF ODA RECIPIENTS 2024

The Fifth Session of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development (GE-CD) was held in Paris, France from 27 to 29 February 2024. 

The GE-CD discussed the progress in its work plan from the 4th session and in line with the instructions from the 32nd session of the IOC Assembly (2023), following its adoption of the IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 together with the promotional and outreach plan to promote the visibility of the new CD Strategy. The global and regional programmes and projects, and regional subsidiary bodies also reported on their activities in support of the implementation of the IOC CD strategy and their respective CD work plans. The Group also discussed the outcomes of the CD regional webinar series and IOC CD Needs Assessment Survey, including its next edition for 2024-2025, as well as other proposals and new initiatives such as the Ocean Training Internships and the Biodiversity Data Hub for the High Seas.

Among other things, the Group decided to:

• • • • Approve the proposed revisions in the Terms of Reference of the GE-CD and instructed the Secretariat to submit the revised ToR for the approval of the IOC Executive Council, at its 52nd session in June 2024; 
      • Call on IOC global programmes and regional subsidiary bodies and secretariats to deliver capacity development with more systematic approaches to ensure consistency between global, regional and national capacity development;
      • Recommend mapping the CD work plans of the global and regional programmes vis-à-vis the IOC CD Strategy to clearly demonstrate the targeted implementation of the IOC CD Strategy;
      • Recommend that the global and regional programmes prepare their draft CD workplans to share in the discussions at the next GE-CD session in time for the 33rd Session of the IOC Assembly;
      • Strongly advocate for leveraging the Decade initiatives such as the CD Facility and the Working Group 9 Vision 2030 white paper to amplify IOC capacity development delivery;
      • Agree to continue the term of Mr Alan Evans as Chair of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development until the new membership of the GE-CD is formed;
      • Agree on the proposed work plan for the next inter-sessional period.

The meeting was attended by some 30 participants including members of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development, invited experts, observers, IOC staff, and members of the CD Secretariat. More information about the workshop can be found here. The report of the meeting can be found here. 

More than a hundred participants from various international organizations, governments, universities and other stakeholder groups joined the online launch of a new global search platform for capacity development opportunities in ocean science and management on 3 February 2023. The session was opened by Peter Pissierssens, IOC CD Coordinator and Head of the IODE Project Office.

Watch this recording as Johanna Diwa-Acallar of the IOC CD Secretariat walks you through the features and functions of the Ocean CD-Hub!

Through its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), UNESCO has launched the prototype of a web-based tool for developing country professionals to discover capacity development opportunities around the world in ocean science and management.

Accessing the Ocean CD-Hub platform, individuals can easily search for information on available capacity development opportunities, saving precious time and increasing the accessibility of many so far little known valuable opportunities (e.g., trainings, fellowships, internships, grants, etc.) offered by national, regional and global organisations from all over the world.

 The Ocean CD-Hub also aims to identify synergies and potential partnerships between organizations providing capacity development opportunities to avoid duplication of efforts and mutualize resources.

“As a central repository to easily search for available CD opportunities, the Ocean CD-Hub aims to contribute to a more accessible and equitable capacity development for ocean science and management.” - Peter Pissierssens, IOC CD Coordinator.

It can also make it easier for national governments to report on progress and availability of capacity development  opportunities in the context of global efforts such as the Sustainable Development Goals, and the challenges of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

Are you an Early Career Professional, Manager, Scientist, Educator, or other category of ocean stakeholder?

Discover and explore our OCEAN CD-Hub: https://OceanCD.org  

For further enquiries, please contact: Peter Pissierssens (p.pissierssens@unesco.org) and Johanna Diwa (jp.diwa@unesco.org)

The third meeting of the Steering Group for the OceanTeacher Global Academy (SG-OTGA) was held from 21-23 November 2022 in Oostende, Belgium.

This hybrid meeting reviewed the activities of the 17 OTGA Regional and Specialized Training Centres. During 2022, a total of 29 online training courses were delivered by the global network with over 2200 applications received and more than 1300 learners enrolled in courses which were delivered in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In addition, 17 online training courses were hosted by the OTGA e-learning platform on behalf of partner organizations.

The SG-OTGA prepared a work plan for the 2023-24 period and elected Mr Udaya Bhaskar (RTC India) and Mr Aidy Muslim (RTC Malaysia) as Co-chairs for the next intersessional period.

More information about the meeting can be found here. The report of the meeting will be available here.

            The Fourth Session of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development (GE-CD) was held as a hybrid meeting on 25 November 2022. 

            The GE-CD discussed the progress in its work plan in line with the instructions from the 31st session of the IOC Assembly (2021), most notably the preparation of the draft IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 which will be submitted for adoption at the 32^nd session of the IOC Assembly in June 2023. The global and regional programmes and projects, and regional subsidiary bodies also reported on their activities for the implementation of the IOC CD strategy within their respective work plans. The Group also discussed the developments in the complementary approach in the joint efforts between the IOC CD Needs Assessment Survey and the Global Ocean Science Report Tracker, as well as the UN Ocean Decade. 

            The Group was also updated with the current status of the capacity development compendium, called the Ocean CD-Hub. Also, the Chair of the Working Group on Outreach provided updates on the potential plans in promoting the visibility of the IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 to target stakeholders. The proposal will be submitted to the 32^nd Session of the IOC Assembly in June 2023.

            Among other things, the Group decided to:

• • • • Approve draft 0 of the IOC CD Strategy 2023-2030 and requested the Secretariat to prepare the draft for submission for the adoption of the IOC Assembly, at its 32nd session in June 2023;
      • Abolish the Working Group on the revision of the IOC CD Strategy as the required actions had been completed during the inter-sessional period; 
      • Re-elect Mr Alan Evans as Chair of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development for the next intersessional period;
      • Agree on the proposed revisions in the Terms of Reference of the GE-CD and instructed the Secretariat to submit the revised ToR for the approval of the IOC Assembly, at its 32nd session in June 2023;
      • Agree on the proposed work plan for the next intersessional period which includes the CD Needs Assessment Survey, the launch of the Ocean CD-Hub, and the development of an Outreach Plan for the new IOC CD Strategy. 

            The meeting was attended by more than 30 participants including members of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development, invited experts, IOC staff, and members of the CD Secretariat. The 21 members of the renewed Group of Experts were also invited in the meeting as observers. 

            More information about the workshop can be found here. The report of the meeting can be found here. 

Participants in the onsite meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Some of the 30+ participants in the online zoom meeting

During its 31st Session, the IOC Assembly adopted Decision IOC-A-31/3.5.3 extending the IOC Capacity Development Strategy until July 2023. In this regard, the Assembly referred to its adoption of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy (2015-2021) which was published in 2015 as IOC/INF-1332. The IOC Assembly also approved the revision of the Terms of Reference of the IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development (GE-CD) and instructed the group to work on the revision of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy and prepare a proposal for submission to the IOC Assembly at its 32nd Session in 2023.