The International Seabed Authority (ISA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the first ever joint training and research centre with State Oceanic Administration of China.
Under the MoU, ISA and China will work together to promote knowledge of the deep ocean and its environment, and enable developing countries to benefit from the mineral resources of the international seabed area, which are recognized as the common heritage of mankind.
The joint training and research centre will be affiliated to the National Deep Sea Centre of China and hosted by the Centre in Qingdao.
“ This centre will provide a new platform for the Authority to promote capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology for developing countries, and to advance and share human knowledge of the deep ocean and its environment ,” said Michael W. Lodge, the secretary-general of ISA.
Main functions of the centre include the provision of training programmes in marine science and technology, as well as in techniques for marine scientific research designed to facilitate the full participation of developing States in activities in the international deep seabed Area.
The centre will also support the conduct of collaborative research programmes related to the latest developments concerning activities in the deep seabed, along with the organization of conferences and workshops, and the dissemination of the results of marine scientific research in easily accessible publications.