The UNESCO/IOC Regional Training and Research Center on Ocean Dynamics and Climate (hereinafter referred to as “ODC Center”) was officially established through one Agreement signed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the host institute, the First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration (FIO, SOA) of China, at the Eighth Intergovernmental Session of UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC-VIII) in Bali, Indonesia in May 2010.
ODC Center was built to provide advanced training and education for young scientists, promote exchange among experts within and outside regional ocean research and initiate cutting-edge research on ocean and climate model development. As the first UNESCO/IOC Regional Training and Research Center, ODC center was inaugurated on 9 June 2011 at the host institute of the First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China. During the past 7 years, annual training courses with the subjects of Ocean Models (10–16 June 2011), Ocean Dynamics (16-22 July 2012), Air-Sea Interaction and Modelling (12–23 August 2013), Climate Models (3-14 November 2014), Climate Change (7-18 September 2015), Ocean Dynamics and Multi-scales Interaction (5-16 September 2016) and Development of Coupled Regional Ocean Models (12-23 June 2017) had been successfully held. Totally, 312 trainees from 33 countries have been trained.
As per the Agreement, “the objectives of the Center shall be to enhance the regional research capacity and capability on ocean dynamics, air-sea interactions, climate change and numerical modeling through, among others, provisions of regular training courses in English once a year to around 15-20 junior scientists and doctoral/master students mainly from the developing member states of IOC in the Western Pacific.”
With the constructive suggestions and overwhelming interests received from the previous training courses, the training course in 2018 will be held together with the CLIVAR-FIO Summer School. The CLIVAR-FIO Summer School on “Past, present and Future Sea Level changes” will be organized in Qingdao, China, 25-30 June, 2018 in Qingdao, back to back with the UNESCO/IOC-ODC Training Course on “Ocean Forecast Systems”, 2-7 July 2018.
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Objectives & Scope
This training course is designed to develop the capacity of member states in the Western Pacific (suitable candidates from outside the region will also be welcome), who are involved in the ocean forecast. The training course will cover regional ocean forecast systems, from ocean data assimilation, forecast of wave, tide and circulation in regional and coastal regions, to practice of regional OFS and interpretation of numerical results.
The Summer School has the objective to provide early career scientists and engineers specializing in sea level research with an update in observations, knowledge, and understanding for the study of global and regional sea level change and their impacts in coastal areas. The Summer School will cover a wide range of physical processes contributing to global and regional sea level change: from observations to modelling of the main physical processes of global and regional sea level rise and variability.
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Expected Outcomes
In addition to establishing the regional network of ocean research, the trainees are expected to improve their understanding on the wave-tide-circulation coupled model and practices on the simulation in regional and coastal regions.
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Date & Venue
The Training Course and Summer School will be conducted from 25 June to 7 July 2018 in Qingdao, China. More information about this center and this training course can be found on the website of the ODC Center.
Working Language
The training course will be conducted in English.
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Trainees
Trainees will be selected mainly from WESTPAC member states with priority given to those young scientists and junior technical staff who have experience in studying the climate system and/or have Doctoral degrees in related major. The applicants should have a good command of English.
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Financial Assistance for Participants
The ODC Center will provide financial support for about 15 trainees mainly from developing countries. A selection committee will be set-up with a view to selecting the most qualified experts among applications to receive financial assistance. The information filled in the attached application form will be of great help for the selection process.
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Deadline for Application
An online register system is available for the Training Course and Summer School. Applicants are encouraged to register by this system. If this system is not workable, the filled-in offline application form shall be sent to Dr Xunqiang Yin and with a copy to Ms Nachapa Saransuth at the following addresses. The online and offline application should be done no later than 10 April 2018.
1. Online application system: http://www.clivar.org/clivar-fio-summer-school-application-form
2. Offline application form ( )
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Visa
Selected trainees traveling to China probably need to apply for entry visa to China in accordance with relevant laws and regulations. Please check the visa requirements with the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your country and apply for it as soon as possible. The local secretariat (Dr Xunqiang Yin) will be glad to provide you any assistance upon your request.
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Contacting Information
Dr Xunqiang Yin
UNESCO/IOC Regional Training and Research Center on Ocean Dynamics and Climate
First Institute of Oceanography, SOA, Qingdao, P. R. China
Tel/Fax: + 86-532-8896 7415
Email: odc_center[at]fio.org.cn
Dr Jose Santos
Executive Director ICPO
Email: jose.santos[at]clivar.org
Ms Nachapa Saransuth
UNESCO/IOC Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Email: n.saransuth[at]unesco.org
