The first in-person ECOP Programme training: “Introduction to Oceanographic Survey Techniques and Data Management” recently took place at AquaBioTech Group in Malta, and was organised with the support of Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Stockholm University, AquaBiotech Group, Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Blue Economy at the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI), the International Ocean Institute HQ and IOC-UNESCO OceanTeacher Global Academy.
14 students from the Mediterranean region (Southern Europe, Northern Africa and Western Middle East) completed the course online and onsite, with an additional three students following online due to logistical reasons. The course was designed, run, and taught by Gabriel Akoko Juma – Alfred Wegener Institut, Germany and Dr Anabel von Jackowski - Stockholm University, and financially supported by the OceanTeacher Global Academy.
Cosmin Chivu, Project Officer, IOI, contributed on behalf of the IOI partnership as a guest lecturer to discuss the crucial role of science in shaping ocean policy, the process of crafting policy briefs, and the decision-making mechanisms integral to effective ocean governance. To complement the lecture, Mr Chivu also led a practical exercise, the Stakeholder Engagement Role-Play, an interactive activity which allowed participants to engage with different perspectives and deepen their understanding of the complexities involved in ocean governance.
The group was hosted at the AquaBiotech Group in Malta, with Ines Boujmil (ECOP North Africa - Mediterranean Sub-regional Node coordinator within ECOP Programme Africa node) acting as moderator.