OceanTeacher

The OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) Project aims at building equitable capacity related to ocean research, observations and services in all IOC Member States.

The IOC has a recognized and unique role in the UN system in relation to ocean science and the science base for ocean management. Its status as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO has been carefully designed to provide an efficient platform for coordination, information and sharing of knowledge to contribute to sustainable and peaceful development. This role includes assisting all IOC Member States in achieving similar levels of national capacity. At the same time the expertise available in Member States needs to be shared more widely with more attention to expertise available in developing regions.

UNESCO/IOC's International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) Programme has built a comprehensive Learning Management System (OceanTeacher) that, in combination with classroom training, has trained nearly 2000 students from 120 countries since 2005. This success demonstrates the expertise within IODE and its potential to expand the use of this methodology to other IOC programmes. The OTGA Project will complement other existing training programmes of the IOC and make the OceanTeacher e-Learning Platform widely available.

The OceanTeacher Global Academy will benefit all IOC Member States with special emphasis on developing regions. The regional implementation methodology will achieve the training programmes to be self-driven with great attention to local requirements, language and culture. Equally substantial attention is given to local ownership as the Regional Training Centres (RTCs), supported by the host countries. In addition the OceanTeacher Global Academy validates the expertise available in developing regions and promotes their self-reliance in terms of specialized technical training and higher education related to ocean science, observation and data/information management.

The specific objectives of the OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) Project are:

(i)      Promoting the establishment, and assisting with the start-up, of Regional Training Centres (OTGA RTCs) that will plan, organize and implement training courses that are of relevance to, and serve needs within their region;

(ii)     Promoting the use of local experts as lecturers and training assistants by the OTGA Regional Training Centres;

(iii)    Promoting the collaboration between the OTGA Regional Training Centres by enabling (through advanced information technology) lecturers from multiple regions to contribute lectures;

(iv)    Further developing the OceanTeacher Learning Management System to cover multiple IOC (and associate) programmes.