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Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School

Oct 3 - 9, 2026 | ICMPA - UNESCO Chair, Université d'Abomey-Calavi (Benin)

Applications are closed

Participant Information

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Funded by

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GGOSSS 2026 is supported by OPERA — a five-year project implemented by Mercator Ocean International throught the framework of the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre, with the funding from the European Union as part of the Arc-X programme.

2026 GGOSSS School

The Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS) 2026 is the second edition of a high-level, international training program dedicated to strengthening ocean science capacity in francophone West and Central Africa.

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Building on the success of GGOSSS 2025, which trained 36 young scientists from six countries, the 2026 edition will take place in Cotonou, Benin, one of the most climate-vulnerable coastal cities in the region. The city’s rapidly evolving coastline, lagoon–ocean exchanges, and recurrent flooding provide a unique real-world laboratory for applied oceanography, coastal monitoring, and climate resilience studies ​.​

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GGOSSS 2026 will welcome 45 participants and 15 instructors from Africa, Europe, and North America for an intensive 7-day program combining lectures, fieldwork, hands-on training, group projects, and mentoring. The program is conducted primarily in French, with some materials in English.

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GGOSSS 2026 is supported by OPERA — Ocean Prediction Enhancement in Regions of Africa — a project funded by the European Union and implemented by Mercator Ocean International through its coordinating role in the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre. With €10 million of European Union funding, OPERA is the ocean component of the Africa Regional Centres of Excellence for the Green Transition (ArcX) programme and runs from 2025 to 2029, strengthening ocean prediction capability and cooperation at national, regional and pan-African levels across sub-Saharan Africa. By training a new cohort of ocean scientists in the Gulf of Guinea, GGOSSS 2026 contributes directly to OPERA's capacity-strengthening objectives and to the priorities of the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap.

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The scientific programme draws throughout on the Copernicus Marine Service, the European Union's marine observation and forecasting programme implemented by Mercator Ocean International. Its freely available data products underpin the satellite remote sensing and numerical modelling components of the school, and participants are trained to access and use them directly through the Copernicus Marine Service portal.

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Why Cotonou, Benin?​

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Cotonou lies along one of the most climate-sensitive coastal zones in West Africa, experiencing:

  • Severe coastal erosion and shoreline retreat

  • Sea-level rise and recurrent flooding

  • Complex lagoon–ocean interactions (Nokoué Lake, Cotonou Channel)

  • Strong anthropogenic pressures

This setting makes Cotonou an ideal site for training young scientists in applied coastal and lagoon oceanography, directly connecting scientific tools to real environmental challenges affecting the Gulf of Guinea.​​​​​​​​​​

Scientific Focus & Training Pillars​

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GGOSSS 2026 is structured around five integrated scientific pillars, all directly relevant to the Gulf of Guinea.

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Python-Based Ocean Data Analysis

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  • NetCDF data handling

  • Time series, climatologies, anomalies

  • Multi-source data integration (satellite, in-situ, models)

  • Reproducible scientific workflows

1. Python-Based Ocean Data Analysis

  • NetCDF data handling

  • Time series, climatologies, anomalies

  • Multi-source data integration (satellite, in-situ, models)

  • Reproducible scientific workflows

Satellite Remote Sensing

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  • Copernicus Marine Service products (SST, SLA, currents, SSS)

  • SWOT coastal applications

  • Coastal erosion and lagoon monitoring

  • Satellite–in-situ data fusion

In-Situ Observations & Instrumentation

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  • CTD, ADCP, GPS, multiparameter probes

  • Lagoon and nearshore sampling

  • Field campaign design and execution

  • Data quality control and calibration

Numerical Modeling

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  • Coastal and regional ocean modeling

  • Model setup, forcing, and validation

  • Analysis of circulation, upwelling, and coastal processes

  • Integration with satellite and in-situ data

Coastal Process Monitoring & Climate Vulnerability

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  • Shoreline evolution and sediment transport

  • Coastal flooding and storm surges

  • Lagoon–ocean dynamics

  • Human impacts and adaptation strategies

Program Structure (7 Days)​

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Days 1–2 – Foundational Lectures
Core concepts in ocean dynamics, satellite observations, in-situ systems, numerical modeling, Python-based data analysis and Introduction to Copernicus Marine Services (CMEMS) website.
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Day 3 – Full Field Campaign
All participants collect real data in the Nokoué Lagoon and coastal zone, including CTD profiles, water quality measurements, GPS shoreline surveys, and bathymetry.

 

Days 4–6 – Intensive Hands-On Training
Participants split into three specialization groups:

In-Situ Observations & Instrumentation

Satellite Remote Sensing

Numerical Modeling (CROCO)

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Day 7 – Project Presentations & Mentoring
Group projects integrating field data, satellite products, and model outputs, followed by mentoring on careers, research pathways, and scientific publishing​​

View detailed schedule

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Fundings & Partners &

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GGOSSS 2026 is funded by:

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GGOSSS 2026 is hosted and supported by:

Impact & Vision​

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GGOSSS 2026 aims to:

  • Strengthen regional scientific capacity in ocean and coastal sciences

  • Build a long-term community of practice across francophone Africa

  • Link science, policy, and decision-making for coastal resilience

  • Train the next generation of ocean scientists equipped to address climate change and environmental challenges in the Gulf of Guinea

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Committees​​

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The Scientific and Organizing Committee for the Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS) 2026  are composed  of a diverse group of oceanographic experts, researchers, and educators dedicated to ensuring the program’s scientific rigor, relevance, and impact. This committee will oversee the curriculum development, coordinate with lecturers and trainers, and evaluate the program’s success. Committee members will bring specialized knowledge in oceanography, climate science, data analysis, and marine conservation, as well as experience working in the Gulf of Guinea region. The members are:


Workshop Chair of GGOSSS 2026:

  • Dr. Babette C. Tchonang ( Florida State University & US Naval Research Laboratory, USA)


Program Organizers of GGOSSS 2026:

  • Prof. Ezinvi Baloïtcha ( ICMPA - UNESCO Chair, Benin)

  • Dr. Babette C. Tchonang (Florida State University & US Naval Research Laboratory, USA)

  • Dr. Victor Okpeitcha  (Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin)

  • Dr. Alina Nathanaël Dossa (University of Miami, USA)

  • Mr. Serge Ghomsi Konga (IBM/LGS, Canada)

  • Mrs. Odette Ateyiho  (ICMPA - UNESCO Chair, Benin)

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Local Organizing Committee of GGOSSS:

  • Prof. Ezinvi Baloïtcha ( ICMPA - UNESCO Chair, Benin)

  • Dr. Victor Okpeitcha  (Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin)

  • Mrs. Odette Ateyiho  (ICMPA - UNESCO Chair, Benin)

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Scientific Committee of GGOSSS:

  • Dr. Babette C. Tchonang (Florida State University & US Naval Research Laboratory, USA)

  • Dr. Victor Okpeitcha  (Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin)

  • Dr. Alina Nathanël DOSSA (University of Miami, USA)

  • Dr. Fernand Assene (ENSTMO, University of Ebolowa, Cameroon)

  • Dr. Arielle Stela Nkwinkwa Imbol (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany)

  • Prof. Christian Kenfack Sadem ( University of Dschang, Cameroon)

  • Dr. Rodrigue Anicet Imbol Koungue (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany)

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