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.

 

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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

IOCARIBE held a series of four regional webinar sessions in collaboration with the IOC Capacity Development Unit, held between November 21 and 22, 2023. Approximately 80 participants, including stakeholders from high-level coordination bodies, member states, professionals, universities, research institutes, young professionals, NGOs, industry, and other partners, took part. Full report is available here 

 

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These webinars provided an overview of the new IOC Capacity Development Strategy 2023-2030, approved by the 32nd Assembly of the IOC-UNESCO in June 2023. They also served to introduce and socialize the Ocean CD-Hub, a global search engine for capacity development opportunities worldwide, and a tool to discover existing capacity development initiatives and expertise in the IOCARIBE region.

Additionally, participants contributed insights on priority issues in the region related to needs, resources, and existing opportunities regarding ocean observations, ocean literacy, effective science, and policy transfer. This information can be accessed through the following links:

 

During its 32nd Session, the IOC Assembly through Decision A-32/4.3, adopted the IOC/UNESCO Capacity Development Strategy 2023-2030 that aims at enabling all Member States to participate in, and benefit from, ocean research and services that are vital to sustainable development and human welfare on the planet. The IOC Assembly also approved the Outreach and Communications plan to promoting the visibility and reach of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy 2023– 2030 to its target audience as a guide in implementing capacity development activities.

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!

 

 

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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)

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