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IOI-OceanLearn: Rationalizing the IOI's education and training in ocean governance
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Ocean & Coastal Management 49 (2006) 676–684 www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman
IOI-OceanLearn: Rationalizing the IOI’s education and training in ocean governance G. Robin South International Ocean Institute Regional Centre for Australia and the Western Pacific, P.O. Box 1539, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia Available online 17 August 2006
Abstract The International Ocean Institute (IOI), established in 1972 and with its Secretariat in Malta, has been engaged in training and education in ocean governance for the past 25 years. The IOI network now comprises some 25 Operational Centers worldwide. Training and education activities have expanded in parallel with the growth of the network, and a variety of courses are now delivered in a multi-modal manner. Interdisciplinary, global training programs are needed to address the capacitybuilding requirements in ocean governance resulting from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and Agenda 21, Chapters 36 and 37. The IOI is responding to these needs by rationalizing its unique training and education programs with a view to coordination and networking of courses among IOI Operational Centers and their host institutions. In 1999, the IOI’s Founder, Prof. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, proposed the establishment of the IOI Virtual University. This innovative idea, however, proved too costly for the IOI to implement. An alternative, more cost-effective means of coordinating all of IOI’s education and training activities is now being implemented, under the brand name ‘‘IOI-OceanLearn.’’ The Operational Centers, their host institutions, and other training partners will work together in the development and delivery of training courses. The key aspects of IOI-OceanLearn will include quality assurance, networking of courses and accessibility. The OceanLearn niche will focus on short training courses; the implementation roadmap includes networking of the IOI’s flagship training program on Ocean Governance at Dalhousie University, incorporating Ocean Science into training courses and fostering of workable capacity-building partnerships with other organizations. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected]. 0964-5691/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2006.06.008
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1. Introduction The International Ocean (IOI) Institute, based in Malta, was founded in 1972. During the past decade, the IOI network has rapidly expanded, and now comprises 25 operational centers worldwide (Table 1). The mission of the IOI focuses on the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources and on the principle that the oceans are the common heritage of humankind. There is a strong call for efforts in education and capacity building expressed in Agenda 21 as a whole, and in particular in Chapters 36: Education and 37: Capacity building. Capacity building has also been given importance by many countries signatory to the various agreements and conventions arising from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Action Plan resulting from the Johannesburg 2002 Conference. Training has been a priority activity of IOI since its foundation, and its flagship 10-week course on Ocean Governance has been offered in collaboration with Dalhousie University Table 1 List of IOI operational centers and their host institutions Operational/Affiliate Centre
Host Institution
IOI (Australia) Regional Operational Centre for Australia and Western Pacific IOI—Baltic Sea
James Cook University, Australia
IOI—Black Sea IOI—Brazil IOI—Canada IOI—Caspian Sea IOI—China IOI—Costa Rica IOI—Cuba IOI—Eastern Africa IOI—Germany IOI—India IOI—Indonesia IOI—Islamic Republic of Iran IOI—Japan IOI—Malta IOI—Pacific Islands IOI—Cuba IOI—Senegal IOI—Slovenia IOI—Southern Africa IOI—Thailand IOI—Ukraine IOI—Volga IOI—Western Africa
Department of Biology and Environment University of Kalmar, Sweden National Institute for Marine Research and Development ‘‘Grigore Antipa’’ Constanta, Romania Centro de Estudos do Mar da UFPR Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Astrakhan State Technical University, Astrakhan, Russia National Marine Data and Information Service Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica University of Havana, Cuba Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombassa, Kenya Zentrum fur Marine Tropenokologie, Bremen Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Centre for Marine Studies University of Indonesia, Depok Iranian National Centre for Oceanography INTERCOM, Tokyo, Japan Mediterranean Institute, University of Malta University of the South Pacific, Suva, Republic of the Fiji Islands Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de la Habana, Cuba Centre de Recherches Oceanographique de Dakar Marine Biology Station Piran, Unit of the National Institute of Biology Piran, Ljubljana Botany Department, University of Western Cape Office of the Thai Marine Policy and Restoration Committee, Government of Thailand, Bangkok Department of Ichthyology Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Sevastopol Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Lagos
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in Canada for the past 25 years. Of the more than 1000 alumni from the course, many now occupy key positions in governments of developing countries. In 2003, the IOI launched a new Regional Ocean Governance course for the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, through its Malta Operational Centre and in collaboration with the University of Malta. Other training and education activities of the IOI network have expanded in parallel with the development of IOI’s global network and with the many recent advances in education and information technology, and now carried out in collaboration with outstanding partner institutions and organizations. The scope and extent of the IOI’s capacity-building activities have led to the recognition that coordination of these activities is necessary. Development in the IOI training program is part of the global need for the restructuring of higher education. The interdisciplinary nature of ocean governance requires an innovative approach to the sharing and delivery of knowledge. The evolving nature of IOI, itself an innovative system, is reflected in its activities that span local communities, nations, regions and the world. The scope of the IOI network’s training activities is evident in an examination of their offered courses. For example, the training and education activities of the IOI now range from village-level awareness-raising workshops (IOI—India, IOI—Costa Rica and IOI— Pacific Islands), to highly technical courses focused on marine biodiversity (IOI—Pacific Islands, IOI—Australia and IOI—Southern Africa), seaweed mariculture (IOI—Southern Africa and IOI—Germany), coastal management (IOI—Southern Africa, IOI—India and IOI—China), coastal monitoring (IOI—Brazil), fish population dynamics (IOI— Germany), coral reef ecology (IOI—Germany and IOI—Indonesia), economics for community-based development (IOI—Pacific Islands) and marine pollution (IOI— Southern Africa). Some IOI Operational Centers (IOI—Pacific Islands and IOI—Southern Africa) have established curriculum development units under the United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UN/DOALOS) TRAIN-SEA-COAST Programme. Through its partnerships with host institutions and donors, IOI-OceanLearn has the potential to deliver training through a number of modes, including face-to-face, distance learning (including video conferencing) and web-based learning. IOI—Southern Africa and its host institution, the University of Western Cape, have been leaders in the development of an open sourced web-based learning system, the Knowledge Environment for Web-based Learning (KEWL). The KEWL platform offers many advantages over commercially-available software as it is open source in nature and therefore can be customized and expanded according to specific needs at no cost and without the impediments inherent in software copyrights. The software is also particularly userfriendly, participatory and student-oriented, more than teacher-oriented [1]. 2. The virtual university approach In order to consolidate its training and education programs, and in order to reach a greater number of participants from developing countries, the IOI Founder, the late Prof. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, proposed in 1999 the innovative concept of the IOI Virtual University (IOIVU), using KEWL as its main delivery platform. KEWL has, for example, already been adopted by a consortium of African universities delivering a virtual Master’s degree program in Information and Communications Technology Policy and Regulation
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(www.nettelafrica.org or www.elearn.nettelafrica.org). The institutions participating in NetTel@Africa, in offering this program, act as a virtual network of universities, and students will register with one of the host institutions which, in turn, will credit the courses and award the degree [2]. Extensive planning for the IOIVU was overseen by Dr. Gunnar Kullenberg, from 1999–2002 [1]. Despite this significant work, however, efforts to find a suitable funding partner were unsuccessful, especially since the idea was launched amidst an unprecedented growth of virtual universities. The IOI was also subject to an intensive review of its operations, which coincided with the passing of Prof. Mann Borgese in early 2002. These events prevented the IOIVU from moving on to the implementation phase. At its annual meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, in October 2003, the IOI’s Governing Board re-visited the IOIVU concept, and accepted in principle, a proposal to consolidate and coordinate the IOI’s training programme under a more cost-effective banner, i.e. IOI-OceanLearn. OceanLearn is now in the implementation phase. 3. IOI-OceanLearn IOI-OceanLearn is the system-wide programme for the coordination, delivery, quality assurance and development of global partnerships of the IOI’s capacity-building activities. Its vision is to develop an interdisciplinary and integrated culture of knowledge focusing on ocean affairs and ocean science, inclusive and accessible to all and distributed using modern techniques; its mission is to deliver education, training and capacity-building products, to promote understanding and sustainable management of ocean spaces and resources in both developed and developing nations. OceanLearn will coordinate, consolidate and quality assure IOI’s education, training and capacity-building activities through a clearly identified (branded) training and capacity-building program, and will enable IOI to deliver its products to markets in an effective manner, thereby enabling the brand to be known for quality and delivery. It will also be an identifiable and clear mechanism through which the IOI network will forge partnerships in these categories of activities. The operational model for IOI-OceanLearn (Fig. 1) will make the best use of IOI’s unique network of centers and partner institutions. An Implementation Committee has been established for OceanLearn and two important planning exercises have been completed [3,4]. It has been agreed that, initially, the niche of OceanLearn will be in the area of short training courses, which already exist and are delivered by IOI Operational Centers (OCs) in partnership with their host institutions. The beneficiaries of OceanLearn, who will have access to available courses, will be students and mid- to high-level government employees, the private sector and employees of non-governmental organizations. A number of subject areas under which courses can be packaged have been identified (Table 2), and a preliminary database of more than 100 courses available through the IOI Network has been created and will be maintained by the IOI Secretariat (www.ioinst.org.mt). The following are the criteria for OceanLearn courses:
Compliant with IOI-OceanLearn quality assurance standards; Available for exchange and adaptation within the IOI network; Available for translation;
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Fig. 1. The OceanLearn model.
Eligible for degree credit (where applicable); and Eligible for award of certificates under the IOI-OceanLearn brand.
Additionally, mechanisms have been developed to ensure that the program will be costeffective and multi-modal, incorporating a variety of courses and training opportunities. Courses will eventually be available for exchange among centers and may be adapted to local conditions, including translation as required. 3.1. Quality assurance for OceanLearn All courses are delivered by lecturers that are experts in their field. A layout of the scientific, professional and practical experience of the lecturer is given in the course description, along with detailed information on the course content, the main goals to be achieved, the skills to be trained, and the prerequisites required of the participants. 3.2. Quality control of the performance of the courses Each course will be evaluated by the participants. A questionnaire has been developed to obtain a detailed picture on the performance of the courses and the contentment of the participants with the level, workload, etc. of the courses. 3.3. Quality control of the venue of the courses OceanLearn is a network-wide offering of courses that may be delivered at one or more of the IOI-Operational centers (IOI-OCs) or their partner institutions chosen by the convenor or customer. Venue suitability will be checked in advance by the local course coordinator, giving importance to technical capabilities, such as computer availability,
ARTICLE IN PRESS G. Robin South / Ocean & Coastal Management 49 (2006) 676–684 Table 2 Subject areas/packages identified by the OceanLearn Implementation Committee [4] Integrated living coastal resource management Fundamentals in fisheries and population dynamics Management strategies in artisanal fisheries Sociological and economical structure and relevance of fisheries in the communities TEK and ethnic management strategies Land use and economical and ecological implications Impact of global change on biodiversity Coastal and marine legislation Ocean non-living resources and socioeconomic implications Mining activities in coastal and marine areas Sociological and economical relevance of non-living resource exploitation Ecological implication of exploitation of marine non-living resources Coastal and marine legislation Energy from renewable sources Maritime boundary delimitation and transboundary management International legal framework Regional conventions and agreements Conflict resolution Marine resource management issues and approaches Coastal risk management Strategies for risk assessment Land use and vulnerability Coastal monitoring Prevention, preparedness and adaptation to hazards Conflict resolution Coastal insurance strategies Restoration strategies of degraded areas Impact of global change in the coastal zone Coastal tourism Impacts on coastal environments Sociological and economical structure and relevance of tourism in the communities Pollution control and waste management Fresh and waste water management International pollution standards and national legislation Harbor and maritime industry International pollution and safety standards and national legislation Ballast water and vessel-source pollution Operational standards for safety navigation Maritime security and piracy Sociological and economical implications Strategies for risk assessment Environment, human health and traditional ecological knowledge Sanitation and waste treatment Fresh water issues Social and cultural heritage Relationship of national legislation and local customs and practices Coastal and offshore indigenous title and rights Ecological services and human well-being Environmental pollution Seafood safety Management of marine protected areas (MPAs) International and regional legal framework of MPAs Implementation of MPAs
681
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682 Table 2 (continued )
Sociological and economical structure and relevance of MPAs in the communities Co-management Conservation of biodiversity Ocean governance Curricula from existing courses
laboratory space and equipment for practical work, projection facilities and lecture rooms, internet access for online research, among others. The OceanLearn Implementation Committee has agreed to an evaluation procedure to guarantee a network-wide quality standard for all courses run under the OceanLearn brand. Evaluation will take place regularly and at the request of the IOI Committee of Directors and/or Governing Board. The Committee of Directors and Governing Board, together with any independent assessors they may wish to appoint, will consider a detailed report prepared by the OceanLearn Implementation Committee. The success of OceanLearn will be measured on the satisfactory progress of each of the following:
Numbers and quality of courses and course participation levels achieved; Numbers and qualifications of instructors and course developers for courses already offered; Numbers of accredited courses offered through OceanLearn; Numbers of successful partnerships developed between OceanLearn, IOI-OCs and their partners, and outside agencies; The amount of income generated and the number of new fund-raising opportunities realized; Analysis of the quality of coordination, communications and financial management.
4. IOI-OceanLearn courses and products The courses and training under the IOI-OceanLearn brand are:
IOI courses with university credit; IOI courses developed under UN/DOALOS TRAIN-SEA-COAST; Dedicated (new) IOI-OceanLearn courses; Combinations of short courses developed by the IOI or its partners; Short thematic (including technical) courses delivered by IOI-OCs or with IOI partners; Workshops delivered by IOI-OCs and including training components; Leadership seminars; Awareness-raising courses or workshops delivered by IOI-OCs. Other products include:
A suite of accredited courses and training marketed through IOI-OceanLearn; An IOI-OceanLearn communications network among IOI-OCs;
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Packages of courses available to partners; Course materials in hard copy and electronic format available for exchange and purchase through the IOI network (e.g. books, manuals, guides, videos, DVDs, audio tapes and CDs); An IOI Alumni database.
5. IOI-OceanLearn roadmap IOI-OceanLearn is now in the active implementation phase. All existing and new training courses offered by the IOI Network are identified under the OceanLearn banner. The Implementation Committee is focusing its attention on the development of new partnerships. There are plans to consolidate and network the IOI’s flagship course—the Ocean Governance Training Course operated by IOI—Canada and Dalhousie University—and develop a global training program in Ocean Science [3]. On a network-wide basis, the roadmap will use a number of coordination strategies, including:
Testing of the IOI-OceanLearn model through ‘‘flagship’’ courses, and through development of workable relationships with selected partners and donors; Identification of other existing or new IOI education and training courses for inclusion in the network; Creation of standards for networking, quality assurance, coordination, branding and marketing of IOI-OceanLearn; Establishment of the IOI Alumni database.
The IOI network is based on the concept that its OCs are independent and that not all need to participate in a network such as IOI-OceanLearn. The advantage of this program, however, is that it does not require IOI to establish the administrative infrastructure required by the IOIVU concept. Most importantly, the initial result will be the coordination of key components of IOI’s training and education programs—to the benefit of many potential clients in developing countries, and for improved ocean and coastal governance. Acknowledgements Many thanks to the International Ocean Institute and PEMSEA for their support for my participation in the East Asian Seas Congress 2003, to the members of the OceanLearn Implementation Committee, and to actual and potential partners to OceanLearn who have shared their ideas with me. References [1] Kullenberg G. The virtual university approach. Ocean & Coastal Management 2002;45:709–18. [2] Keats DW, Beebe M, Kullenberg G. Using the internet to enable developing country universities to meet the challenges of globalization through collaborative virtual programmes. First Monday 2003; 8: 1–10. Available from: http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue8_10/keats/index.html.
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[3] Bailet F, Ekau W, South GR. Global learning in ocean science. Preparatory Workshop for the Building of Partnerships. Opportunities for collaboration in training among International Ocean Institute Operational Centers and European Institutions; May 24–28, 2004; Delmenhorst, Germany. International Ocean Institute; 2004 (78 pp.). [4] International Ocean Institute. OceanLearn business plan—Learning for our future ocean. International Ocean Institute; Unpublished results. 22pp.
Ocean & Coastal Management 49 (2006) 676–684 www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman
IOI-OceanLearn: Rationalizing the IOI’s education and training in ocean governance G. Robin South International Ocean Institute Regional Centre for Australia and the Western Pacific, P.O. Box 1539, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia Available online 17 August 2006
Abstract The International Ocean Institute (IOI), established in 1972 and with its Secretariat in Malta, has been engaged in training and education in ocean governance for the past 25 years. The IOI network now comprises some 25 Operational Centers worldwide. Training and education activities have expanded in parallel with the growth of the network, and a variety of courses are now delivered in a multi-modal manner. Interdisciplinary, global training programs are needed to address the capacitybuilding requirements in ocean governance resulting from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and Agenda 21, Chapters 36 and 37. The IOI is responding to these needs by rationalizing its unique training and education programs with a view to coordination and networking of courses among IOI Operational Centers and their host institutions. In 1999, the IOI’s Founder, Prof. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, proposed the establishment of the IOI Virtual University. This innovative idea, however, proved too costly for the IOI to implement. An alternative, more cost-effective means of coordinating all of IOI’s education and training activities is now being implemented, under the brand name ‘‘IOI-OceanLearn.’’ The Operational Centers, their host institutions, and other training partners will work together in the development and delivery of training courses. The key aspects of IOI-OceanLearn will include quality assurance, networking of courses and accessibility. The OceanLearn niche will focus on short training courses; the implementation roadmap includes networking of the IOI’s flagship training program on Ocean Governance at Dalhousie University, incorporating Ocean Science into training courses and fostering of workable capacity-building partnerships with other organizations. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected]. 0964-5691/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2006.06.008
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1. Introduction The International Ocean (IOI) Institute, based in Malta, was founded in 1972. During the past decade, the IOI network has rapidly expanded, and now comprises 25 operational centers worldwide (Table 1). The mission of the IOI focuses on the sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources and on the principle that the oceans are the common heritage of humankind. There is a strong call for efforts in education and capacity building expressed in Agenda 21 as a whole, and in particular in Chapters 36: Education and 37: Capacity building. Capacity building has also been given importance by many countries signatory to the various agreements and conventions arising from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), and from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) Action Plan resulting from the Johannesburg 2002 Conference. Training has been a priority activity of IOI since its foundation, and its flagship 10-week course on Ocean Governance has been offered in collaboration with Dalhousie University Table 1 List of IOI operational centers and their host institutions Operational/Affiliate Centre
Host Institution
IOI (Australia) Regional Operational Centre for Australia and Western Pacific IOI—Baltic Sea
James Cook University, Australia
IOI—Black Sea IOI—Brazil IOI—Canada IOI—Caspian Sea IOI—China IOI—Costa Rica IOI—Cuba IOI—Eastern Africa IOI—Germany IOI—India IOI—Indonesia IOI—Islamic Republic of Iran IOI—Japan IOI—Malta IOI—Pacific Islands IOI—Cuba IOI—Senegal IOI—Slovenia IOI—Southern Africa IOI—Thailand IOI—Ukraine IOI—Volga IOI—Western Africa
Department of Biology and Environment University of Kalmar, Sweden National Institute for Marine Research and Development ‘‘Grigore Antipa’’ Constanta, Romania Centro de Estudos do Mar da UFPR Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Astrakhan State Technical University, Astrakhan, Russia National Marine Data and Information Service Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica University of Havana, Cuba Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombassa, Kenya Zentrum fur Marine Tropenokologie, Bremen Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Centre for Marine Studies University of Indonesia, Depok Iranian National Centre for Oceanography INTERCOM, Tokyo, Japan Mediterranean Institute, University of Malta University of the South Pacific, Suva, Republic of the Fiji Islands Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de la Habana, Cuba Centre de Recherches Oceanographique de Dakar Marine Biology Station Piran, Unit of the National Institute of Biology Piran, Ljubljana Botany Department, University of Western Cape Office of the Thai Marine Policy and Restoration Committee, Government of Thailand, Bangkok Department of Ichthyology Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Sevastopol Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Lagos
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in Canada for the past 25 years. Of the more than 1000 alumni from the course, many now occupy key positions in governments of developing countries. In 2003, the IOI launched a new Regional Ocean Governance course for the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, through its Malta Operational Centre and in collaboration with the University of Malta. Other training and education activities of the IOI network have expanded in parallel with the development of IOI’s global network and with the many recent advances in education and information technology, and now carried out in collaboration with outstanding partner institutions and organizations. The scope and extent of the IOI’s capacity-building activities have led to the recognition that coordination of these activities is necessary. Development in the IOI training program is part of the global need for the restructuring of higher education. The interdisciplinary nature of ocean governance requires an innovative approach to the sharing and delivery of knowledge. The evolving nature of IOI, itself an innovative system, is reflected in its activities that span local communities, nations, regions and the world. The scope of the IOI network’s training activities is evident in an examination of their offered courses. For example, the training and education activities of the IOI now range from village-level awareness-raising workshops (IOI—India, IOI—Costa Rica and IOI— Pacific Islands), to highly technical courses focused on marine biodiversity (IOI—Pacific Islands, IOI—Australia and IOI—Southern Africa), seaweed mariculture (IOI—Southern Africa and IOI—Germany), coastal management (IOI—Southern Africa, IOI—India and IOI—China), coastal monitoring (IOI—Brazil), fish population dynamics (IOI— Germany), coral reef ecology (IOI—Germany and IOI—Indonesia), economics for community-based development (IOI—Pacific Islands) and marine pollution (IOI— Southern Africa). Some IOI Operational Centers (IOI—Pacific Islands and IOI—Southern Africa) have established curriculum development units under the United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (UN/DOALOS) TRAIN-SEA-COAST Programme. Through its partnerships with host institutions and donors, IOI-OceanLearn has the potential to deliver training through a number of modes, including face-to-face, distance learning (including video conferencing) and web-based learning. IOI—Southern Africa and its host institution, the University of Western Cape, have been leaders in the development of an open sourced web-based learning system, the Knowledge Environment for Web-based Learning (KEWL). The KEWL platform offers many advantages over commercially-available software as it is open source in nature and therefore can be customized and expanded according to specific needs at no cost and without the impediments inherent in software copyrights. The software is also particularly userfriendly, participatory and student-oriented, more than teacher-oriented [1]. 2. The virtual university approach In order to consolidate its training and education programs, and in order to reach a greater number of participants from developing countries, the IOI Founder, the late Prof. Elisabeth Mann Borgese, proposed in 1999 the innovative concept of the IOI Virtual University (IOIVU), using KEWL as its main delivery platform. KEWL has, for example, already been adopted by a consortium of African universities delivering a virtual Master’s degree program in Information and Communications Technology Policy and Regulation
ARTICLE IN PRESS G. Robin South / Ocean & Coastal Management 49 (2006) 676–684
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(www.nettelafrica.org or www.elearn.nettelafrica.org). The institutions participating in NetTel@Africa, in offering this program, act as a virtual network of universities, and students will register with one of the host institutions which, in turn, will credit the courses and award the degree [2]. Extensive planning for the IOIVU was overseen by Dr. Gunnar Kullenberg, from 1999–2002 [1]. Despite this significant work, however, efforts to find a suitable funding partner were unsuccessful, especially since the idea was launched amidst an unprecedented growth of virtual universities. The IOI was also subject to an intensive review of its operations, which coincided with the passing of Prof. Mann Borgese in early 2002. These events prevented the IOIVU from moving on to the implementation phase. At its annual meeting in Kiev, Ukraine, in October 2003, the IOI’s Governing Board re-visited the IOIVU concept, and accepted in principle, a proposal to consolidate and coordinate the IOI’s training programme under a more cost-effective banner, i.e. IOI-OceanLearn. OceanLearn is now in the implementation phase. 3. IOI-OceanLearn IOI-OceanLearn is the system-wide programme for the coordination, delivery, quality assurance and development of global partnerships of the IOI’s capacity-building activities. Its vision is to develop an interdisciplinary and integrated culture of knowledge focusing on ocean affairs and ocean science, inclusive and accessible to all and distributed using modern techniques; its mission is to deliver education, training and capacity-building products, to promote understanding and sustainable management of ocean spaces and resources in both developed and developing nations. OceanLearn will coordinate, consolidate and quality assure IOI’s education, training and capacity-building activities through a clearly identified (branded) training and capacity-building program, and will enable IOI to deliver its products to markets in an effective manner, thereby enabling the brand to be known for quality and delivery. It will also be an identifiable and clear mechanism through which the IOI network will forge partnerships in these categories of activities. The operational model for IOI-OceanLearn (Fig. 1) will make the best use of IOI’s unique network of centers and partner institutions. An Implementation Committee has been established for OceanLearn and two important planning exercises have been completed [3,4]. It has been agreed that, initially, the niche of OceanLearn will be in the area of short training courses, which already exist and are delivered by IOI Operational Centers (OCs) in partnership with their host institutions. The beneficiaries of OceanLearn, who will have access to available courses, will be students and mid- to high-level government employees, the private sector and employees of non-governmental organizations. A number of subject areas under which courses can be packaged have been identified (Table 2), and a preliminary database of more than 100 courses available through the IOI Network has been created and will be maintained by the IOI Secretariat (www.ioinst.org.mt). The following are the criteria for OceanLearn courses:
Compliant with IOI-OceanLearn quality assurance standards; Available for exchange and adaptation within the IOI network; Available for translation;
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Fig. 1. The OceanLearn model.
Eligible for degree credit (where applicable); and Eligible for award of certificates under the IOI-OceanLearn brand.
Additionally, mechanisms have been developed to ensure that the program will be costeffective and multi-modal, incorporating a variety of courses and training opportunities. Courses will eventually be available for exchange among centers and may be adapted to local conditions, including translation as required. 3.1. Quality assurance for OceanLearn All courses are delivered by lecturers that are experts in their field. A layout of the scientific, professional and practical experience of the lecturer is given in the course description, along with detailed information on the course content, the main goals to be achieved, the skills to be trained, and the prerequisites required of the participants. 3.2. Quality control of the performance of the courses Each course will be evaluated by the participants. A questionnaire has been developed to obtain a detailed picture on the performance of the courses and the contentment of the participants with the level, workload, etc. of the courses. 3.3. Quality control of the venue of the courses OceanLearn is a network-wide offering of courses that may be delivered at one or more of the IOI-Operational centers (IOI-OCs) or their partner institutions chosen by the convenor or customer. Venue suitability will be checked in advance by the local course coordinator, giving importance to technical capabilities, such as computer availability,
ARTICLE IN PRESS G. Robin South / Ocean & Coastal Management 49 (2006) 676–684 Table 2 Subject areas/packages identified by the OceanLearn Implementation Committee [4] Integrated living coastal resource management Fundamentals in fisheries and population dynamics Management strategies in artisanal fisheries Sociological and economical structure and relevance of fisheries in the communities TEK and ethnic management strategies Land use and economical and ecological implications Impact of global change on biodiversity Coastal and marine legislation Ocean non-living resources and socioeconomic implications Mining activities in coastal and marine areas Sociological and economical relevance of non-living resource exploitation Ecological implication of exploitation of marine non-living resources Coastal and marine legislation Energy from renewable sources Maritime boundary delimitation and transboundary management International legal framework Regional conventions and agreements Conflict resolution Marine resource management issues and approaches Coastal risk management Strategies for risk assessment Land use and vulnerability Coastal monitoring Prevention, preparedness and adaptation to hazards Conflict resolution Coastal insurance strategies Restoration strategies of degraded areas Impact of global change in the coastal zone Coastal tourism Impacts on coastal environments Sociological and economical structure and relevance of tourism in the communities Pollution control and waste management Fresh and waste water management International pollution standards and national legislation Harbor and maritime industry International pollution and safety standards and national legislation Ballast water and vessel-source pollution Operational standards for safety navigation Maritime security and piracy Sociological and economical implications Strategies for risk assessment Environment, human health and traditional ecological knowledge Sanitation and waste treatment Fresh water issues Social and cultural heritage Relationship of national legislation and local customs and practices Coastal and offshore indigenous title and rights Ecological services and human well-being Environmental pollution Seafood safety Management of marine protected areas (MPAs) International and regional legal framework of MPAs Implementation of MPAs
681
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682 Table 2 (continued )
Sociological and economical structure and relevance of MPAs in the communities Co-management Conservation of biodiversity Ocean governance Curricula from existing courses
laboratory space and equipment for practical work, projection facilities and lecture rooms, internet access for online research, among others. The OceanLearn Implementation Committee has agreed to an evaluation procedure to guarantee a network-wide quality standard for all courses run under the OceanLearn brand. Evaluation will take place regularly and at the request of the IOI Committee of Directors and/or Governing Board. The Committee of Directors and Governing Board, together with any independent assessors they may wish to appoint, will consider a detailed report prepared by the OceanLearn Implementation Committee. The success of OceanLearn will be measured on the satisfactory progress of each of the following:
Numbers and quality of courses and course participation levels achieved; Numbers and qualifications of instructors and course developers for courses already offered; Numbers of accredited courses offered through OceanLearn; Numbers of successful partnerships developed between OceanLearn, IOI-OCs and their partners, and outside agencies; The amount of income generated and the number of new fund-raising opportunities realized; Analysis of the quality of coordination, communications and financial management.
4. IOI-OceanLearn courses and products The courses and training under the IOI-OceanLearn brand are:
IOI courses with university credit; IOI courses developed under UN/DOALOS TRAIN-SEA-COAST; Dedicated (new) IOI-OceanLearn courses; Combinations of short courses developed by the IOI or its partners; Short thematic (including technical) courses delivered by IOI-OCs or with IOI partners; Workshops delivered by IOI-OCs and including training components; Leadership seminars; Awareness-raising courses or workshops delivered by IOI-OCs. Other products include:
A suite of accredited courses and training marketed through IOI-OceanLearn; An IOI-OceanLearn communications network among IOI-OCs;
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Packages of courses available to partners; Course materials in hard copy and electronic format available for exchange and purchase through the IOI network (e.g. books, manuals, guides, videos, DVDs, audio tapes and CDs); An IOI Alumni database.
5. IOI-OceanLearn roadmap IOI-OceanLearn is now in the active implementation phase. All existing and new training courses offered by the IOI Network are identified under the OceanLearn banner. The Implementation Committee is focusing its attention on the development of new partnerships. There are plans to consolidate and network the IOI’s flagship course—the Ocean Governance Training Course operated by IOI—Canada and Dalhousie University—and develop a global training program in Ocean Science [3]. On a network-wide basis, the roadmap will use a number of coordination strategies, including:
Testing of the IOI-OceanLearn model through ‘‘flagship’’ courses, and through development of workable relationships with selected partners and donors; Identification of other existing or new IOI education and training courses for inclusion in the network; Creation of standards for networking, quality assurance, coordination, branding and marketing of IOI-OceanLearn; Establishment of the IOI Alumni database.
The IOI network is based on the concept that its OCs are independent and that not all need to participate in a network such as IOI-OceanLearn. The advantage of this program, however, is that it does not require IOI to establish the administrative infrastructure required by the IOIVU concept. Most importantly, the initial result will be the coordination of key components of IOI’s training and education programs—to the benefit of many potential clients in developing countries, and for improved ocean and coastal governance. Acknowledgements Many thanks to the International Ocean Institute and PEMSEA for their support for my participation in the East Asian Seas Congress 2003, to the members of the OceanLearn Implementation Committee, and to actual and potential partners to OceanLearn who have shared their ideas with me. References [1] Kullenberg G. The virtual university approach. Ocean & Coastal Management 2002;45:709–18. [2] Keats DW, Beebe M, Kullenberg G. Using the internet to enable developing country universities to meet the challenges of globalization through collaborative virtual programmes. First Monday 2003; 8: 1–10. Available from: http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue8_10/keats/index.html.
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[3] Bailet F, Ekau W, South GR. Global learning in ocean science. Preparatory Workshop for the Building of Partnerships. Opportunities for collaboration in training among International Ocean Institute Operational Centers and European Institutions; May 24–28, 2004; Delmenhorst, Germany. International Ocean Institute; 2004 (78 pp.). [4] International Ocean Institute. OceanLearn business plan—Learning for our future ocean. International Ocean Institute; Unpublished results. 22pp.