Data management has been identified, amongst others during the ‘Colour of Ocean Data Symposium’ (Brussels, 2002), as a gap in the curricula of many academic institutions. To try and fill this gap, this course on data management is proposed jointly by the IOC Project Office for IODE (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO Project Office for International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Committee) and VLIZ (Flanders Marine Institute). The course will be specific for biodiversity data management, going into details on specific data needs for taxonomy and geography. The course will be a combination of lectures and hands-on activities. The final sessions will be devoted to development of a pilot application, and reporting and analysis based on this application. Being a joint IODE/MarBEF training course, the participants to the course will be not only from EU countries. IODE-sponsored participants will be invited from non-EU countries, both from developing countries and from Eastern Europe. Tentative audience The course is in the first place directed at junior biodiversity/biogeography scientists. But everyone with an interest in biodiversity data management is welcome. Being familiar with computers (Office applications, Windows operating system, installing applications) is a prerequisite. Standard capacity of the training room is 16. It is expected that about half of the available spaces will be for MarBEF participants (from EU), half for the IODE-sponsored participants. The IODE-sponsored participants will be selected as a rule via the IODE ODINs coordinators. Relation with MarBEF objectives Proper management of biodiversity data will enhance data exchange; some of the topics of the course will assist scientists in making data available to MarBEF, through ERMS and EurOBIS. The course will be an opportunity for young researchers to meet, and to discuss joint activities. Financial support Participants form EU countries will be requested to finance their own travel and accommodation using MarBEF funds. Travel and accommodation of the selected participants from developing countries and Eastern Europe will be paid by the IOC Project Office for IODE.