IOI Canada recently finished delivering its latest online course, Ocean Governance: SDG 14 and the UN Summit of the Future. With options for both synchronous and asynchronous participation, this interdisciplinary training programme explored key issues in Ocean Governance through a combination of lectures, discussions, readings, videos and assignments. The 16 webinar-style sessions were organised into three modules focusing on Law of the Sea and Ocean Governance; Fisheries, Aquaculture and Food Security; and State of the Ocean, with almost 20 lecturers providing their perspectives from a broad range of backgrounds and disciplines. Check the Training section of IOI Canada’s website for the course schedule and list of speakers.
The interdisciplinary nature of the course attracted participants from diverse sectors, backgrounds and organisations, and there was global representation from nearly 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North and South America, and the South Pacific. The live class was capped at 25 to encourage interaction and discussion, but over 100 more participants registered for the self-paced study stream, which continues to be a very popular option for those eager for professional development while juggling work or home commitments or with unreliable access to the internet. They also appreciate the additional time provided after the webinars have wrapped up to enable them to finish working their way through the recordings and related materials. With several keen participants on track to finish in the coming weeks, certificates will continue to be issued for quite a while!