TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION: POGO’s CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Observing the ocean is essential not only for understanding natural cycles but also for tracking the impacts of human activities on marine environments and biodiversity. Reliable ocean data enables accurate predictions, informs policy, and empowers decision-makers to take effective actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as to protect and restore vital marine ecosystems. Despite significant advancements in ocean observation technology, there remain substantial gaps in our observational capacity, particularly in areas that are difficult to access or where financial, scientific, and technological resources are constrained. This challenge is especially pronounced for developing countries, which often lack the infrastructure and capacity required to establish and maintain comprehensive ocean observatory systems.

The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) is dedicated to addressing these gaps through training, networking, and technology transfer initiatives, empowering scientists and institutions in developing countries to build sustainable ocean science and observation capacities. As underscored by the Global Ocean Science Report, there is a critical need for building human capacity. Over the past 25 years, POGO has prioritised capacity development, focusing on nurturing the next generation of ocean science experts and leaders.

POGO’s capacity development programme supports global ocean science by providing professional training opportunities that expand worldwide capacity for sustained ocean observations, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of scientific results to benefit society.

The programme’s core initiatives include research fellowships and scholarships that offer: i) training at advanced oceanographic institutions, where trainees gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge equipment and techniques; ii) regional training programmes hosted by institutions in developing countries, tailored to the specific resources and conditions of each region; and iii) shipboard training, either through spare berths on scheduled research cruises or dedicated training voyages on transiting ships.

Since 2001, POGO has trained over 1,300 early-career ocean professionals from 96 countries, primarily from emerging economies. Many alumni have since taken on influential roles in oceanographic institutes, universities, and government agencies, contributing to the global ocean science and policy communities.

In partnership with the Nippon Foundation, POGO further supports its alumni through the NF-POGO Alumni Network for the Ocean (NANO), which fosters continued networking and collaboration. NANO enables alumni-led initiatives, including the development of low-cost devices for citizen science and the establishment of an alumni-managed network of 33 time-series coastal monitoring stations in 18 countries. These stations track essential ocean variables, providing valuable, long-term data that strengthen our understanding of ocean health.

As an implementing partner of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, POGO’s efforts are dedicated to transforming the Decade's visionary goals into tangible, actionable outcomes. Our capacity development programmes are contributing to overcoming the barriers identified for Challenge 9 “Skills, knowledge and technology for all”.