IODE MENTORING

The IODE Committee (2023) called for more NODCs and ADUs to apply for IODE accreditation but noted that there were a number of factors that hampered data centres, especially in the global south, to apply. The IODE Committee therefore called on already accredited NODCs and ADUs as well as other well established NODCs and ADUs to assist other centres by:

  • answering questions on “how to”;
  • undertaking a visit to the (candidate) NODC to meet with staff and to provide advice;
  • hosting staff of the new NODC in your own NODC so they can acquire the necessary hands-on experience in ocean data management.
  • participating as lecturer in relevant (OTGA) courses.(*)

(*) OTGA may organize relevant training courses

The following IODE data centres have offered such support (status on 30 April 2024):

(language(s) in which they can provide support between [ ])

Accredited NODCs

  • China [Eng)
  • Ireland [Eng)
  • Norway [Eng]
  • United Kingdom [Eng]

Other NODCs

  • Argentina [Esp, Eng]
  • Colombia [Esp, Eng]
  • India [Eng]
  • Malaysia [Eng]
  • Portugal [Eng]

If you operate an NODC or ADU and need assistance as described above then please contact the IODE Secretariat (p.pissierssens@unesco.org).

TRAINING

The OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) is a long-term action that supports the IOC International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Programme and other IOC global and regional initiatives in delivering training and collaborative developing human capacity and skills. OTGA is now delivering a series of self-paced training courses on different topics related to ocean science and data management, which are open and freely available to participants around the world. These self-taught courses include reading material, presentations, references, and exercises designed by Ocean Experts to help learners assess their own learning at their own pace.

https://oceanteacher.org

Objectives

The OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) is a long-term project of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and funded by the Government of Flanders, Kingdom of Belgium. The second phase of OTGA started in April 2020 and builds on the legacy of previous projects and includes new challenges such as the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. OTGA fully supports the implementation of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy:

The objectives of the OceanTeacher Global Academy project are

  • To develop a portfolio of packaged courses related to needs of IOC and other partners
  • To deliver courses online, face-to-face and blended learning, on demand
  • Designate Specialized Training Centres (topic focused) and Regional Training Centres (regional focused)
  • Focus on training needs for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs: the skills we need to achieve sustainable development
  • Facilitate capacity development within the framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science

Activities

The OceanTeacher Global Academy provides a comprehensive internet-based training platform that supports classroom training, blended training, and online (distance) learning. OTGA courses cover a range of topics addressing the priority areas of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and 2030 Agenda and its SDGs as well as supporting the implementation of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy.

An essential component of the OTGA approach to training is its global network of Training Centres. OTGA works in partnership with the IOC Member States and its institutions and has established a network of 17 Regional and Specialised Training Centres delivering training on ocean sciences, services and marine and information data management (including marine biodiversity data and ocean best practices) relevant to IOC Programmes.

OTGA is an endorsed UN Ocean Decade Action: Building Capacity and Accelerated Technology Transfer for the Ocean Decade. OTGA will work with Decade partners to develop, host and deliver Decade related capacity development products and activities to meet capacity development priorities. OTGA will assist all countries to acquire the necessary capacity to equitably participate in, and benefit from, the Decade actions and related products and services.

Since 2020 the focus of OTGA training has been to deliver online training through its e-learning platform and this has resulted in a significant increase in the number of training courses and people trained.

The UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE, host of the OTGA, is an ISO 29993 certified learning services provider and all OTGA content is covered by a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.

The summarized project document can be found here.

https://www.iode.org/images/OTGA-2_Project_Document-summary.pdf

website of the eLearning platform: www.oceanteacher.org