About the OceanTeacher Global Academy

The OceanTeacher Global Academy promotes an active exchange of knowledge on diverse research disciplines in marine and coastal environments to boost national capacities in ocean science around the globe. It is funded by FUST and carried out by the IOC, and ultimately aims to contribute to more sustainable development, protection, and management of marine and coastal environments. In doing so, it implements the IOC Capacity Development Strategy 2015 – 2021, extended to July 2023 by the IOC Assembly Decision (IOC-A-31/3.5.3), and now a 2030 UN ocean decade priority area.

OTGA is a key mechanism in the implementation of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy, directly contributing to output one, helping individuals and institutions develop capacity, while also contributing to the other outputs through its training topics (e.g., ocean data or MSP) or network mechanisms.

Training centres and courses

The OTGA has developed a global network of training centres to boost national capacities in ocean sciences. With a total of 17 training centres around the world, both specialised (STCs) and regional (RTCs), the OTGA project has successfully delivered over 250 courses and has instructed over 15,000 learners from 130 IOC Member States (2015-2025). It is now fully upgraded and developed program of IODE funded by IOC/UNESCO.

The training course can be held face-to-face in a classroom setting, online using synchronous video conferencing, in a blended format (combining classroom and video conferencing), or as a self-paced course, all utilising the e-learning platform. 

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, OTGA continued running training activities: it rolled out 32 online courses attended by 3250 people in 2021, which allowed the e-learning platform to further improve its tools, making it more user-friendly and improving the distance learning experience. The OTGA platform now offers courses in 4 different languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French) and 3 teaching formats. The courses cover topics such as data management, natural disaster forecasting, prevention of marine pollution, and international marine law, among other IOC program-related matters.

OTGA endorsed in the UN Ocean Decade

Through increased exchange of marine technology, ocean studies, and training activities around the world, the OTGA contributes to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The project helps build the scientific and institutional capacity needed for sustainable management of the ocean and marine resources by 2030 (SDG14). Additionally, the OTGA fully supports the IOC capacity development strategy through the courses taught.

Aims and future of the UNESCO/IOC/IODE/OTGA Programme Component

• To roll out new courses and keep attracting new learners, to spread information as widely as possible
• To keep developing the Training Centres network, especially the specialised training centres, which are topic-focused
• To keep developing the e-learning platform, to make it accessible to more people, and to make it the main teaching platform for all the IOC’s programmes.
• To enable equitable participation of all IOC member states and IOC programmes in decision-making for the future of our ocean