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 50–60 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.

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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 Lagoon, 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:

1. Python-Based Ocean Data Analysis

• NetCDF data handling

• Time series, climatologies, anomalies

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

• Reproducible scientific workflows

2. Satellite Remote Sensing

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

• SWOT coastal applications

• Coastal erosion and lagoon monitoring

• Satellite–in-situ data fusion

3. In-Situ Observations & Instrumentation

• CTD, ADCP, GPS, multiparameter probes

• Lagoon and nearshore sampling

• Field campaign design and execution

• Data quality control and calibration

4. Numerical Modeling

• Coastal and regional ocean modeling

• Model setup, forcing, and validation

• Analysis of circulation, upwelling, and coastal processes

• Integration with satellite and in-situ data

5. Coastal Process Monitoring & Climate Vulnerability

• Shoreline evolution and sediment transport

• Coastal flooding and storm surges

• Lagoon–ocean dynamics

• Human impacts and adaptation strategies

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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, and Python-based data analysis.

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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

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Who Should Apply and When?​

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GGOSSS 2026 targets:

• Master’s and PhD students in oceanography, climate, or environmental sciences

• Early-career researchers and university lecturers

• Government and NGO professionals involved in coastal and marine management

• Decision-makers and community leaders interested in science-based coastal resilience

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The program is conducted primarily in French, with some materials in English. Applications will open in February 2026 — stay tuned for application details and deadlines.

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Partners & Support

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GGOSSS 2026 is organized with the support of:

• Mercator Ocean international, France

• Copernicus Marine Service, A Program of The European Union implmented by Mercator Ocean International

• Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)

• The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO)

• L’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France

• International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICPMA-UNESCO Chair), Benin

• Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Nigeria and Ghana (COESSING)

• Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin (IRHOB), Benin

• PRODATA SARL, Benin

• Association of Professionals in Coastal and Aquatics Management (APCAM), Cameroon

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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