|
In order to respond to new challenges faced by the IODE Programme, an “IOC Pro ject Office for IODE” has been established in Oostende, Belgium, with substantial support from the Government of Flanders (Belgium) and City of Ostend. With the opening of the IOC Project Office for IODE on 25 April 2005, the IODE programme entered a new era of capacity building and ocean data/information services.
Who works at the Project Office: More here
Click Here to see list of events at the Project Office (from IODE events calendar)
or
 view our calendar through Google (detailed and by month)
The main objectives of the Project Office are:
- to establish a creative environment facilitating the further development and maintenance of IODE and partner data and information management projects, services and products with emphasis on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the data and product/service stream between the stage of sampling and the user; and
- to assist in strengthening the capacity of Member States to manage oceanographic data and information and to provide ocean data and information products and services required by users.
To achieve these objectives the IOC Project Office carries out the following activities:
- develop, strengthen and maintain IOC/IODE ocean data and information management training programmes and training tools;
- provide an environment (‘think tank’) where ocean data and information experts and students can work, meet and discuss;
- develop, host and maintain IOC/IODE’s ocean information systems and related public awareness tools;
- promote collaboration between all expert levels active in ocean data (and data product) and information management, including scientists, data managers, other IOC (and JCOMM or WMO) programmes and projects and other users;
- provide a laboratory environment for the development and beta testing of ocean data and information management technology.
Whereas the initial support provide by Flanders included only the office space and related utilities, an additional annual financial contribution of € 500,000/year to be used for programme activities at the Project Office is provided. These funds allow us to organize a substantial number of training courses and invite top experts to provide guidance on IODE related matters. Thanks to this substantial support as well as funding from donor funded projects the Project Office now has a dynamic team of professionals and support staff (picture, right)
In addition, the Project Office works closely with, and receives additional support from, the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ).
The Project Office in Numbers (2005-2006)
|
Number of training courses organized.................................................................
Number of trainees...........................................................................................
Number of countries experts from which were trained............................................
Number of the medium and long term expert visits..............................................
Overall number of experts and trainees visited the Project office............................
Overall number of countries experts from which visited Project office.......................
Number of IOC/IODE related meetings and workshops hosted by the Project Office...
Number of external meetings hosted by the Project office.....................................
Number of EU Projects in which the Project Office is involved...................................
Number of the Web sites hosted......................................................................... |
29
270
79
33
439
87
20
53
4
55
|
Documentation on the IOC Project Office for IODE
More pictures...
|
the main conference hall
|
lecture room 1 and 2 combined
|
|
lecture room 1
|
meeting room/lecture room 2
|
|
the videoconference room
|
exhibit / cocktailparty/ lunch area
|
|
