This course aims to equip ocean data leaders in regions across the globe with the knowledge and tools to grow their own communities of practice, thereby developing professional expertise and data literacy for ocean data producers, curators, and users as identified in the Ocean Decade’s Data Strategy Implementation Plan.

General learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Support community buy-in and develop learning opportunities to train others within their own countries and regions about ocean data 
• Seed and lead their own local or regional ocean data Communities of Practice
• Play leading roles in the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing’s global Community of Practice
• Lead cross-border cooperation on specific data sharing topics of interest

Course content & planning

Four modules of three topics delivered on-online with targeted, in-person follow-up.

Each topic will consist of:

• One one-hour lecture - pre-recorded to allow learners to watch at their own pace
• Follow-up discussion time - online, in groups
• Activities to re-inforce the learning

Module 1 (November 2025)

1.1 Setting the scene: Why ocean data management, incentives to sharing data, and the global ocean data landscape

• • Aim: To provide an introduction and overview to the course; to describe some of the impacts, benefits and motivations in sharing well-managed ocean data; to give an overview of the global and regional ocean data sharing networks and initiatives.
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to explain to others why it is important to manage and share ocean data and what options are available to make this happen at a global scale

1.2 Understanding roles: The IODE Quality Framework, Steps, Roles of Individuals

• • Aim: To give an introduction to the Quality Framework that IODE uses to manage and share ocean data across its network; to outline the various roles that exist within the framework and how these relate to an ocean data community of practice
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to describe the key roles that are needed in an ocean data community of practice and the quality framework that activity sits within

1.3 Identifying your ocean data community: Who will you engage with, support, and train?

• • Aim: To help learners consider who their ocean data community is and what the focus of learning/training needs in that community is
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to identify the purpose of their community of practice, and to identify and invite potential members

Module 2 (December 2025)

2.1 Planning: making your marine projects and programmes “data first”

• • Aim: To explain to learners the Data Management Planning process and how it helps in making a project or programme “data first’
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to lead in Data Management Planning in their organisation or community of practice

2.2 Quality data matters

• • Aim: To introduce learners to a range of thematic data quality issues, which may be beyond their normal area of expertise and to the impacts of data quality on the re-use of data in a range of ocean applications
  • Outcome: Learners will have an overview of the importance of ocean data quality which they can bring to their communities of practice and be informed of key resources which they can point their communities of practice

2.3 Building your ocean data community:

• • Aim: To equip learners with skills in building a community of practice in ocean data management and sharing
  • Outcome: Learners will be confident in their ability to grow a community of practice from the potential members identified in Block 1.

Module 3 (January 2025)

3.1 Putting data to work - sharing ocean data to enable insight and action

• • Aim: To enable communities of practice to understand how to prepare data for sharing, where to share and some tools that can be used to share data which can then be used in creating insights
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to encourage data sharing in their communities of practice, and advise on best practices, technology choices, etc

3.2 How do I get credit for sharing my data? Moving from data sharing to data publication

• • Aim: To help learners to understand the difference between sharing data and formal data publication, the benefits of data publication, how to get started, and how to use digital object identifiers for datasets
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to describe data publication to their communities of practice and be aware of options to allow for formal citation of datasets created by their communities of practice

3.3 Creating learning spaces in your ocean data community

• • Aim: A key activity of communities of practice is sharing knowledge and helping members to learn from each other. This session will focus on the key aspects of a healthy peer-based learning environment, and will be followed in block 4 by a session on designing effective learning sessions
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to foster healthy environments in their communities of practice to allow the growth and development of members

Module 4 (February 2026)

4.1 What is the IODE network and who is involved

• • Aim: The IODE network is the key ocean data sharing network globally and consists of a number of components. This session will introduce learners to the makeup of IODE’s network and its scope of work
  • Outcome: Learners will be able to introduce the IODE network to their communities of practice and to align activities of the community to IODE activity, including working alongside National Oceanographic Data Centres and Associated Data Units

4.2 Getting organisational support and buy-in

• • Aim: As data communities of practice are often engaged in organisational change, getting buy-in or support for their activities is key. This session will equip learners with tools to help with raising the profile of and engagement with their communities of practice leading to greater impact.
  • Outcome: Learners will be equipped with skills and knowledge to effectively communicate the work of their communities of practice to a range of stakeholders and to get buy-in from decision makers

4.3 Designing learning

• • Aim: Communities of Practice support their members by giving them focussed learning opportunities. This session will introduce the concepts in designing effective learning opportunities
  • Outcomes: Learners will be able to plan effective and targeted training sessions to develop skills within their communities of practice

In-person Follow-up (2026)

• Aims: To provide in-person spaces to follow-up on the train-the-trainer course content and to develop individual roadmaps to action, implementation of which will be followed up online
• Outcomes: Learners will have developed personal action plans to put into practice the skills they have acquired throughout the course and have organised the first follow-up session with the course leaders

Information about these sessions will be provided to the participants throughout the course or after, when applicable.

Target audience & pre-requisites

This course was prepared for ocean practitioners and institutions interested in becoming focal points to collaborate with the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing in building a network of recommended practices around good data management and sharing.

Participation will require:

Language of instruction

English and Spanish

Instructors and Organizers

Content for this course was provided by:

• Adam Leadbetter
• Rob Thomas
• Jan-Bart Calewaert
• Ana Carolina Mazzuco
• Taco de Bruin
• Peter Burger
• Margarita López-Velosa
• Other instructors from each region (to be confirmed) 

This training is organized by the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing in collaboration with the the Ocean Decade Coordination Unit and the UNESCO IOC OceanTeacher Global Academy (Programme Component of IODE).

Assessments and Certificate

This course contain a set of online multiple-question automated assessments to evaluate your learning, and a final action plan to be developed and implemented individually. Participants will be required to complete a pre and post self-assessment related to the course content, and be requested to fill out a feedback survey at the end of the course to reflect on your learning experience and identify areas for improvement. This will also provide valuable feedback for course teachers and organisers to enhance future training sessions. 

To receive a Certificate of Completion, learners must:

• Achieve a minimum score of 80% on all quizzes;
• Complete every lesson, activity, and assessment;
• Complete the mandatory pre-test and post-test;
• Develop and implement an action plan;
• Participate in online live sessions (75% attendance);
• Submit the required feedback form, which is mandatory for all OTGA courses.

After completion of the course, participants will be invited to join follow ups and monthly meetings with the DCO for Ocean Data Sharing to continue the network building and future training of other participants.

Technology requirements

To complete this course, participants should have access to:

• Computer with a modern operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
• Latest version of either Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari web browsers
• JavaScript and cookies enabled
• Broadband internet access (minimum bandwidth of 0.5 Mbps (Receive and Send)
• Speakers or headphones, Microphone

Course duration and format

This course will be conducted in a blended format, through a combination of online self-paced activities, instructor led sessions and assessments, and hands-on work. The duration of the course (Blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 and related activities) is a total of 25 hours.

ONLINE Live sessions schedule:

18 November 2025 (Module 1)

17 December 2025 (Module 2)

14 January 2026 (Module 3)

10 February 2026 (Module 4)

Note that the training course may be complemented by face-to-face in-person follow-up module - to be scheduled in 2026 - dates and venue to be confirmed by region.

Cost: This course has no tuition fees. 

How to participate

Participation in this training is mainly invitation only, coordinated in collaboration with the National Committees, Coordination Offices and Centres of the Ocean Decade.

Some limited places will be available for external participation. If you wish to apply, see the requisites: 

• Applicants should be affiliated with an institution and capable of serving as focal points to collaborate with the DCO in building a network of recommended practices for effective data management and sharing.
• Send your information through the Application form [click HERE] until 20 October 2025 (23:59 - CET, Brussels time).

Contacts

• DCO Ocean Data Sharing: oceandatasharing@unesco.org 
• OTGA Secretariat: ioc.training@unesco.org

For any questions please contact the OTGA Secretariat always using the name of the course as the email subject. 

Cancellation policy

In the event of cancellation of the course by the OTGA or its affiliates, we will provide notification of cancellation at least 7 days prior to the course date. In the event of cancellation by the attendee, we should receive notification of cancellation at least 7 days prior to the course date.