OceanTeacher Global Academy

Learning goals

• Gain understanding of the EMODnet Biology project and how it interlinks with other European and international initiatives in the field of biodiversity knowledge.
• Recognize the importance of sharing biological data, taking into account the FAIR principles.
• Develop skills to correctly format biological data to EMODnet Biology and EurOBIS formats.
• Gain knowledge on the required quality control steps and on the importance of interoperability.

Target audience

Anyone interested in marine biodiversity data.

This is a self-taught course that includes quizzes designed to help learners assess their own learning at regular intervals.

How to enroll

Please register on the OceanExpert website (www.oceanexpert.org). Once your OceanExpert account is approved (this is not done immediately), you can self-enroll in the course. If you already have an OceanExpert account, you can self-enroll in the course using your OceanExpert username and password.

First log in OceanTeacher, then access the course page and click on self-enrollment.

The enrolment key is EMODNETBio**2023

For any questions please contact the OTGA Secretariat (ioc.training@unesco.org) or the EMODnet biology secretariat bio@emodnet.eu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(bio@emodnet.eu) always using the name of the course as email subject.

There are no tuition fees. 

UNESCO is committed to promoting equal access principles. Applications from minority or underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged.

The course serves as an introduction to R programming language and software environment (RStudio) for data exploration, cleaning, organizing, analysis and visualization. Relevant oceanographic (physical, chemical and biological) datasets will be used in the training, making it easy to relate, understand and apply the course concept. The course is designed for Early Career Ocean Professionals, hence, no prior experience is required. 

Ocean colour analysis is a proven tool for determining the health of ocean using oceanic biological activity through optical means. Phytoplankton pigment, chlorophyll, are indicators of equilibrium of CO₂ concentration between atmosphere and ocean. The oceanic colour changes due to chlorophyll a provides the level of primary productivity whereas the colour change due to CDOM can be attributed to the level of pollution and higher particulate matter. The ability of optical sensors to map the spatial and temporal patterns of ocean colour over regional and global scales has provided important insights into the fundamental bio-optical properties and bio-physical processes occurring in the aquatic media. Chlorophyll, SST and PAR can be operationally scaled up to estimate primary production and estimate the fish stocks. This training focuses on the basics of marine optics, ocean colour remote sensing, and its applications such as mapping primary productivity, phytoplankton classes and algal blooms.

The ocean provides numerous public benefits yet there is a pressing need to further mainstream Ocean Literacy in governance. Ocean Literacy (OL) is ‘the understanding of human influence on the Ocean and the Ocean’s influence on people’. This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability.

This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability. 

This is a self-taught course that includes presentations, references and quizzes designed to help learners assess their own learning at regular intervals. In order to successfully complete the course and receive a Certificate, it is a requirement to complete all quizzes ((unlimited attempts allowed).

To enrol, please register on the OceanExpert website (www.oceanexpert.org). Once your OceanExpert account is Approved, you can self-enrol in the course. If you already have an OceanExpert account, you can self-enrol in the course using your OceanExpert user name and password.

The enrolment key is OL**2024

In light of the increasingly diverse and unpredictable weather and climate conditions happened in recent years, it is important to equip Fishermen, Fisheries Extension officers, and related service officials at the district/ municipality government level.  Moreover, academicians working as partners for fishermen and coastal communities also need to be trained with the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with weather uncertainty and climate variability. Recognizing the potential disruptions in food security, particularly in the marine and fisheries sectors, various groups have emphasized the paramount importance of addressing weather and climate issues comprehensively.

In response, we introduce the Weather Field School for Fishermen—an innovative program designed to provide fishermen and officials partners with an in-depth understanding of weather patterns and climate dynamics. By empowering fishermen with this knowledge and extending their skills using marine weather information, we intend to enhance their ability to anticipate and adapt to extreme weather events impacts which in turn will ensure sustainable fishing practices and aquaculture implementation to secure the future of our marine resources. With a curriculum comprising four comprehensive sessions, this weather field school stands as a critical step towards safeguarding both fishermen livelihoods and coastal communities and simultaneously increase the resilience of our marine ecosystems.

At the end of this course, the learner should be able to explore at any particular upwelling site.

• Explore existing upwelling sites using available datasets and increase understanding of the physical-biological interaction dynamic of upwelling region.
  
• Construct integrated data gathering which involved filed data, satellite data, and wind data at any particular upwelling site
  
• Conduct a simple analysis of the integrated data in determining the special characteristics of any particular upwelling site 
  

The training course aims to exchange expertise on data management and publication and strengthen bilateral cooperation between KMFRI and VLIZ. The research data cycle will be addressed from start to end, followed by a hands-on session on how to make your data FAIR and prepare them for publication

The ocean provides numerous public benefits yet there is a pressing need to further mainstream Ocean Literacy in governance. Ocean Literacy (OL) is ‘the understanding of human influence on the Ocean and the Ocean’s influence on people’. This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability.

This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability. 

This is a self-taught course that includes presentations, references and quizzes designed to help learners assess their own learning at regular intervals. In order to successfully complete the course and receive a Certificate, it is a requirement to complete all quizzes ((unlimited attempts allowed).

To enrol, please register on the OceanExpert website (www.oceanexpert.org). Once your OceanExpert account is Approved, you can self-enrol in the course. If you already have an OceanExpert account, you can self-enrol in the course using your OceanExpert user name and password.

The enrolment key is OL**2024

The coastal erosion problem affects several regions worldwide. The causes of this problem are sites specific and not always understood. In this way, understanding the possible mitigation measures for this problem and the impact that each coastal intervention strategy can represent on the shoreline evolution allows for a more informed action by the decision-makers and competent entities.

The ocean provides numerous public benefits yet there is a pressing need to further mainstream Ocean Literacy in governance. Ocean Literacy (OL) is ‘the understanding of human influence on the Ocean and the Ocean’s influence on people’. This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability.

This course will provide government officials with an overview of the importance of the Ocean. It will showcase the ocean as a source for development, present challenges and introduce tools and approaches for decision-making and governance regarding ocean sustainability. 

This is a self-taught course that includes presentations, references and quizzes designed to help learners assess their own learning at regular intervals. In order to successfully complete the course and receive a Certificate, it is a requirement to complete all quizzes ((unlimited attempts allowed).

To enrol, please register on the OceanExpert website (www.oceanexpert.org). Once your OceanExpert account is Approved, you can self-enrol in the course. If you already have an OceanExpert account, you can self-enrol in the course using your OceanExpert user name and password.

The enrolment key is OL**2024

This training course will provide and introduction to sample collection and sorting, including taxonomy and processing for DNA extraction, eDNA and qPCR analyses, as well as a quick guide on the use of the bioinformatics for sequence analysis to in-country (Fiji) managers and technical staff.

The ocean is intrinsically connected to our lives, our coast, our heritage, architecture, and to how our cities are planned. Ocean Literacy (OL) is the understanding of human influence on the ocean and the ocean’s influence on people. 

This course will provide architects, urban planners, marine planners, and designers with an overview of the importance of the ocean and how to consider it when planning and designing. It will showcase examples of how the ocean can be considered in diverse scales, from the design of a small product that can later connect to the ocean with its materials, the design of buildings and infrastructure that interact with the architecture and infrastructure and the overall planning of our cities, which have a deep interaction with our oceanic common systems. This training aims to provide professionals with diverse tools so they can consider sustainable ways to consider the ocean in their decision-making process.

This is a self-taught course that includes presentations, references and quizzes designed to help learners assess their own learning at regular intervals. In order to successfully complete the course and receive a Certificate, it is a requirement to complete all quizzes ((unlimited attempts allowed).

To enrol, please register on the OceanExpert website (www.oceanexpert.org). Once your OceanExpert account is Approved, you can self-enrol in the course. If you already have an OceanExpert account, you can self-enrol in the course using your OceanExpert user name and password.

The enrolment key is OL**2024

International Phytoplankton Intercomparison

Since 1993 the IOC has conducted training courses on harmful microalgae. The purpose has been to improve the taxonomic and identification skills of the participants for research purposes and for practical monitoring of harmful algal blooms.

From 2006 the IOC training in HAB identification has been offered within a new framework which gives accreditation. The present course includes now a practical exam at the end of the course with an IOC Certificate of Proficiency in Identification of Harmful Algae issued to participants who pass the exam. We know by experience that many of the more than 500 trainees we have had over the years have wished the courses to give accreditation, and in some countries, the IOC courses have become a reference for laboratories to be approved for carrying out regulatory monitoring for harmful microalgae.

The IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae, University of Copenhagen, Denmark is organizing the course.