WESTPAC Advisory Group Expanded Strategy Meeting in Penang and the upcoming 12th Scientific Conference in 2027

The Western Pacific Sub-commission of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO (WESTPAC) held a Strategic Meeting of its Extended Advisory Group on Penang Island, Malaysia, from 28 to 30 January 2026. The meeting was kindly hosted by the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) of the University of Malaysia, located on Penang Island. Forty participants, representing advisory group members and invited experts from nine Sub-commission member countries, attended. Vyacheslav Borisovich Lobanov, Head of the Physical Oceanology Laboratory at the Pacific Oceanological Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, participated in the meeting as WESTPAC Vice-Chair

The meeting discussed recent developments within the UNESCO IOC, including the revision of its strategy for implementing multi-year programs and projects due to budget cuts, the implementation of the UN Ocean Decade, and WESTPAC's strategic priorities for the coming period. Key topics included the development of marine science and regional cooperation, sustainable ocean planning and management, and capacity development and ocean literacy in response to the changing needs and expectations of Member States.

In addition, the meeting discussed in detail the preparations for the 12th WESTPAC International Scientific Conference on Marine Sciences and the 3rd Regional Conference "Ocean Decade", which will be held in Manila, Philippines, from 20 to 23 April 2027. A collection of proposals for the structure of the upcoming conference has begun (see https://ioc-westpac.org/ ).

The final day of the meeting was held at the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) of the University of Malaysia, a small marine experimental station similar to the TOI MES but slightly better equipped, with a good berth, a large conference hall, a museum, a canteen, a hotel and dormitories.

The WESTPAC Sub-commission supports a wide range of international projects, educational courses and other events, which can be viewed and participated in on the WESTPAC website (https://ioc-westpac.org/).