This course will provide knowledge and hands-on experience for the data, satellites and instrumentation, access and formats, tools and software for operational activities. A pre-course phase of the training will provide an essential overview of data, products and tools used to monitor the ocean and will focus on preparation for the classroom phase where students will work on a short project to learn more about the data and its applications.

Aims and Objectives

• Introduction to methods to access and download data and products used in operational oceanography
• Understanding of data and products to be used for specific applications
• Understanding of key types of satellite measurements used to monitor the ocean  

Learning Outcomes

• Introduction to a wide range of data and products to improve marine analysis
• Overview of airborne and satellite data available for marine and coastal research
• Awareness of data processing and file formats
• Use of tools to access and visualize data scripting languages to work with marine satellite data  

Target Audience

The target audience includes, but not limited to, the following:

• Researchers with an interest in working with satellite based and real time ocean observation data
• Ocean and coastal data managers
• PhD students and Post-Docs

Course Pre-requisites:

• General knowledge of oceanography
• Experience with computer programming languages will be an advantage
• Good working knowledge of English
• Candidates must successfully complete an online pre-course phase to be eligible to join the face-to-face classroom phase.

Note: Priority will be given to participants originating from Europe and North African countries. UNESCO is committed to promote gender equality. Applications from women are strongly encouraged.

A Certificate of Participation will be issued to all successful students.`

The UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE is certified as a Learning Services Provider (ISO 29990:2010).

The OceanTeacher Global Academy is a Project of IOC/IODE supported by the Flanders-UNESCO Trust Fund (FUST) of the Government of Flanders, Belgium.

Application process:  

Please read the information on how to apply available on the OceanTeacher Global Academy website (http://bit.ly/2ACZY9r) and fill the online application form on  

https://otga.wufoo.com/forms/s1r08pg8143tlzz/ or https://bit.ly/2zU1ggY no later than 15 January 2019.

Before starting filling the online application form, please make sure to have available the following:
- a motivation statement (text file) of maximum 300 words;
- your passport number or, in case you are a national of the host country a valid identification/citizen card can be used instead of the passport;
- scan of the endorsement letter (in case you are asking for funding)
- link to your profile on OceanExpert (www.oceanexpert.net); if you don't have one make sure you create one in advance.

The deadline to submit the application closes 15 January 2019. Do not leave for the last minute since the system will close automatically. In case you have any questions please contact the organisers well in advance.

No tuition fee applies. Both full- and co-sponsoring are available for a limited number of participants. For detailed information check the OceanTeacher website (www.oceanteacher.org.

In case of questions please contact:

OTGA Secretariat on training@iode.org always indicating as subject 'OTGA Training Course: Discovery & Use of Operational Ocean Data Products & Services, 11 – 15 March 2019, Oostende, Belgium’