The School will be organized in daily morning sessions with key lectures divided in two main streams (Part A: Fundamentals and Part B: Applications), and daily afternoon sessions devoted to practical training (Part C: Hands-on sessions). Practical sessions will be the backbone of the school, with hands-on training in the use of ocean and ecological models. The students will be guided through the necessary steps for setting up a simulation, from generating the input fields to choosing the appropriate physical settings, to finally analyzing and postprocessing the data. A focus will be given to the Mediterranean sea, the Black sea, oceanic straits and selected costal areas. The Activity will not only deal with the physics of the seas but also with marine biogeochemistry and ecosystem modelling, its interaction with the physical climate and possible consequences on social and economical aspects. Practical examples for ocean sustainability, predictability and forecasting are also envisaged.

The activity is intended for students and young researchers from emerging countries and it will provide them with a great knowledge and understanding on the subject, leading to improvements in their research, knowledge transfer and capacity building. The students are expected to acquire both the theoretical and the practical knowledge necessary for using ocean and biogeocheimical models. It is of primary importance to train and foster research in ocean climate and marine ecosystem modelling in developing countries since these and marine ecosystem modelling in developing countries since these regions tend to be associated with large coastal areas and problems related to climate change, which might cascade on a number of socio-economic activities (e.g fishing, tourism, water quality). This calls for the need to identify scientifically sound mitigation and adaptation policies, which are strongly site specific. It is thus necessary to provide scientists from emerging countries with the necessary tools to establish and promote their own ocean modelling and ecosystem studies.

A sound quantitative knowledge of ocean physics as well as marine ecosystem dynamic are essential to promote a sustainable development of activities related to ocean ecosystems and coastal areas, and ultimately improve the quality of life of many developing countries. The primary goal of this Activity is to train young scientists from Turkey and neighboring countries to develop, maintain and use ocean and marine ecosystem models, mainly in regional configurations.