Ocean professionals are moving into different work environments, where collaboration, networking and interdisciplinarity are increasingly important. Transferable skills can help them to be more effective in the professional environment. This event aims to explore the transferable skills needed for an ECOP. Participants will co-design collaborative actions, solutions and advice to address the transferable skills needs of ocean, tropical and freshwater professionals. In addition, to promote a new approach to support the career development of ocean professionals, taking into account current professional challenges. Furthermore, the event will offer the opportunity to strengthen the networks of alumni and students from 6 international Master programmes organised in Belgium. Finally, this event offers the opportunity to showcase ways to engage in the Ocean Decade, to the 120 registered ECOPs and will be streamed and maintained online in collaboration with the OceanTeacher Global Academy.

The event will take place on September 9th, 2023, from 11:30 to 18:30 at the Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, Jacobsenstraat 1, 8400, Oostende, Belgium. Live sessions will be streamed and maintained online in collaboration with the OceanTeacher Global Academy.

This event is endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development as a Decade Activity.

Target audience and prerequisites

Students and alumni from the following master programmes:

• MSc in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (‘Oceans & Lakes’)
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (TROPIMUNDO)
• Master in Oceanography, MER+, ECT+
• International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea)

Learning outcomes

Participants will:

1. Understand what are transferable skills
2. Learn how to identify transferable skills
3. Learn how to work on their transferable skills
4. Learn how to promote their acquired competences as ocean, tropical and/or freshwater professionals
5. Learn writing skills for (inter)national job application
6. Learn how to adapt their job application to the target audience
7. Exchange career experiences with other students and alumni from 6 international master programmes

Event format: Blended (on-site and online)

Number of participants: Max 120 on-site, no limited capacity for online participants

Organizers

• MSc in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (‘Oceans & Lakes’); VUB, Universiteit Gent, Universiteit Antwerpen; Liesbeth PINTI, Karolien VAN PUYVELDE
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems (TROPIMUNDO); VUB, ULB; Farid DAHDOUH-GUEBAS
• Master in Oceanography, MER+, ECT+; Université Liège; Krishna DAS, Aida ALVERA AZCARATE, Marilaure GREGOIRE, Sylvie GOBERT
• International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea); Universiteit Gent; Luana DA COSTA MONTEIRO)
• Secretariat of the National Decade Committee and Decade Implementing Partner; VLIZ; Juana JIMENEZ, Emma COULEMBIER
• OceanTeacher Global Academy, International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO

Language of instruction:  English

Instructors

Dr. Ronny Merken - coordinator of STEM center of expertise for Brussels - Universitaire Associatie Brussel

Dr. Luana Da Costa Monteiro – coordinator of IMBRSEA – Universiteit Gent

Duration: approx. 6h

Application process

June 9th to July 3rd, Pre-registration form sent by master programmes coordinators

August 7th, Reconfirmation email will be sent by VLIZ

August 31st, Close on-site participants list

September 1st, in case registration for on-site participation exceeds 140, an email will be sent to selected on-site participants based on first-come, first-serve basis.

September 4th, Official email from OTGA for registration of online and on-site participants in Ocean Expert and course at OTGA