ESSO - Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
(An Autonomous Body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India)
International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean)
The International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean) is aimed at promoting the development and optimization of scientific base, technology and information system for operational oceanography at national, regional and global scales.
The facility can help in promoting excellence in integrated multidisciplinary oceanography on a global scale. It is also expected that the legacy of the training programme will endure far in to future as it will help building a future ocean system which directly serves the needs of mankind through improved marine monitoring and enhanced stewardship of the seas.
- Provide advanced training in operational oceanography for young scientists and technical (S&T) persons and decision makers/ officials from India (including industries on payment basis), IOR countries and other developing nations (on sponsorship basis) on a continuous regular basis, to enable to create a large pool of young trained manpower with core skills in the sub-continent.
- Provide training on generation of data from oceans using in situ and satellite platforms, transmission of data to operational centre, data reception, data processing in real-time, usage of data in models and generation of forecasts and dissemination of the same to end users within the shortest possible time.
- To provide ship board experience and training in observational oceanography using state-of-the-art instrumentation from all available sources and interaction with national and international pool of faculties to so as to widen the S&T base.
- To promote excellence in integrated multidisciplinary oceanography on a global scale to improve understanding and management of natural resources.
- To help scientists to be in a state of preparedness for nowcasting and forecasting the behavior of the oceans and also to address the role of ocean science and technology in delivering information critical to safety, commerce and environmental protection.
The trained manpower generated through the ITCOocean would help translating the results and findings in ocean science to real-time use by end users such as fishermen, shipping industries, ports and harbours, oil and natural gas industries, disaster management agencies etc., more efficiently and contribute to form valuable assets of manpower for induction in oceanography and earth science related institutions.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO) will support ESSO-INCOIS for capacity building activities in the field of operational oceanography through ITCOocean.
The proposed ITCOocean targets to provide advanced training to the following:
- Students who would like to pursue their career in operational oceanography. Priority will be given to students from India, Indian Ocean Rim countries, Africa and other developing nations.
- Staff of maritime related institutions including fisheries.
- Staff of government departments involved in oceanographic services and others associated with maritime/ environmental activities including teaching.
- Decision makers who need familiarization with oceanographic data management.
- Institutions and persons involved in ocean state forecasts, hazard related warnings, environmental protection, NGOs, coastal planners, those involved in disaster management activities and industries involved in coastal and offshore developmental activities.
- Staff of other operational oceanographic centers who need familiarization with operational oceanographic tools and products and to improve their qualification.
Currently, ITCOocean offers short-term Certificate courses of duration up to three months. However, long-term courses up to two years spread over four Semesters leading to a university Post-Graduate Degree/Diploma are also planned.
Short term courses will be offered to professionals and decision makers who have chosen operational oceanography as their career. Such courses will allow the professionals to acquire the essential training to carry out the activities related to operational oceanography and to advance their knowledge in operational techniques and methods. Topics to be covered will be determined depending on the targeted trainees and requirements.
