The TRAIN-SEA-COAST Programme: new challenges for the development of human resources on coastal and ocean management in Brazil

Abstract

The TRAIN-SEA-COAST Programme (TSC) was created in 1993 by the United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. The overall goal of the Programme is capacity building at the local level. The Programme is implemented through a network of 14 Course Development Units based at the national level. The Programme is a response to Agenda 21 to strengthen human capacity on ocean and coastal issues. The Programme develops training courses adopting the TRAIN-X methodology that is material-oriented and instructorindependent.Priority areas and target populations of the training courses are defined within each country according to its own requirement. The TRAIN-X methodology is suitable to design training courses on complex issues, as are environmental ones, and its use can improve and speed up the training process. In Brazil, the Programme began its activities in 1995 at the University of Rio Grande. The training course developed by this unit, Integrated Coastal Management: exchange and interrelationships among the continental and oceanic systems, has been delivered 14 times to more than 250 trainees of all 17 coastal States. TSC/Brazil is presently involved with the development and delivery of two training courses, one demanded by the Ministry of Environment and it is included in the National Port Environmental Training Programme; another attends the needs of the International Global Ballast Water Management Programme, a cooperation between the International Maritime Organization and TSC. The courses under development respond to specific target populations and schedules, but they will be available to the TSC network after they are validated. The TSC/Brazil has to be empowered and better structured to efficiently cooperate on building national capacity on ocean and coastal issues. The Programme’s success depends on political, financial and individual commitment.