By: Rachel Kakraba
Director of Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Nigeria and Ghana, COESSING, Prof Brian Arbic, has challenged African ocean scientists to seize every learning opportunity to deepen their understanding of the oceans. He said challenges confronting the sector, particularly plastic pollution, global warming, and dwindling fish stocks continue to threaten marine ecosystems worldwide, requiring that diverse perspectives including those from Africa are sought for lasting solutions.
He said ocean scientists in Africa work under strenuous conditions with limited resources, hence taking advantage of learning opportunities such as COESSING is crucial.
“Scientists from Africa sometimes work under stressful conditions without too many resources, so they don’t always have as much contact with the rest of the world as they would like to have. So, we’re trying to help build up ocean science capacity and also to connect that capacity to the rest of the world, so that they can see the challenges and opportunities of the region”
Prof. Arbic, was speaking at the opening ceremony of this year’s COESSING, at the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, on Monday 11th August 2025.
About COESSING
The Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Ghana and Nigeria, otherwise known as COESSING, since its inception in 2015, has remained a platform for fostering collaboration, innovation and knowledge exchange, particularly in the fields of oceanic and environmental sciences. This year’s event, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of the programme, has drawn participants from across the globe, including Liberia, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Greece and Israel. The five day event will include sessions such as lectures, presentations and field trips among others.
Prof. Arbic, expressed worry that African representation at major international ocean conferences remains limited, despite the continent’s vast coastlines and deep dependence on marine resources. He was hopeful the annual summer school will help build the capacity of students in marine science and heighten interest in oceanography study.
“There should be people from Africa studying the oceans. You know when we go to big international conferences on the oceans, the number of people at those international conferences from Africa is not high enough. We’d like to see more people from Africa actually telling us what they’re learning about what’s happening in the ocean”
Funding from Ocean Margins Initiative
Prof. Arbic, disclosed that, under a new funding arrangement with the Ocean Margins Initiative, the programme would be expanded for maximum benefits.
“The school is now funded by an initiative called Ocean Margins Initiative, so that is bringing a lot of resources into ocean sciences in Ghana. I think that’s very important to bring real serious resources so that you can go out on ships, take measurements, train students, buy equipment and things like that”
He added the school will have expansion to East Africa next month, to further deepen ocean science capacity in Africa.
“We are going to have another school like this in East Africa, in September, which will be our very first time in East Africa. So hopefully it’ll go just as well as it has gone in West Africa”
COESSING’s Influence
Speaking about the school’s impact, he said it has transformed lives, producing individuals who are making significant contributions. He mentioned that several of their participants are incorporating satellite-derived sea surface temperature maps into their research.
“We’ve had students here from the University of Cape Coast that study fisheries and they’ve learned how to use satellite maps in their research on fisheries. We also had a participant in our very first year who was inspired by our school and now has an NGO, Plastic Punch and he’s trying to clean up plastic in the oceans”
He added “People who come to our school, they form WhatsApp groups and they talk to each other more, they form these networks and they post job opportunities. We can tell many individual stories of people whose research or career has been impacted by the school”
Partner Institutions’ Support
Prof. Arbic, noted that partner institutions have been supportive, offering classrooms, IT assistance, transportation for field trips and other resources.
COESSING 2025 expectations
A University of Ghana student, with no prior background in fisheries or oceanography, in an interview with GBCGHANAONLINE, said she joined the programme to learn, build friendships, and connect with like-minded peers for future collaborations.
“I’m a student here at the University of Ghana. I’m reading education and psychology. I have no background on fisheries or oceanography. I’m here to learn, make new friends, network and collaborate with like-minded individuals like myself”
Pierre an instructor for COESSING 2025, expressed his willingness to share knowledge with the participants
“I’m here to share my knowledge and expertise in ocean science with all the participants and especially to teach different kind of skills in term of oceanography”
Ocean Margins Initiative
Prof. Amala Mahadevan, Project Lead of the Ocean Margins Initiative, which is funding the school, expressed confidence that the four-year investment in capacity building through COESSING would yield positive outcomes.
“We were looking for an opportunity to also have some outreach and education as part of this project. And COESSING is already existing here, so we decided to partner. Our project is funding COESSING for four years”
She added “we are trying to build a research programme here, it’s only been one year, but as we build this research programme, we hope that more students will connect with hands-on experience of that research”
She commended the participants for their eagerness to expand their understanding of the oceans and urged them to continue applying the skills they have acquired for the benefit of humanity, even after the project ends.
Recognitions
Director of COESSING, Prof Brian Arbic, was presented with a beautiful smock in recognition of his pioneering role. His former students from Damongo Secondary School also presented him with an ostrich egg. Other leaders were also acknowledged for their contributions and sacrifices towards the success of COESSING.
Conclusion
As COESSING continues to bridge knowledge gaps and foster collaboration between scientists across Africa and beyond, its impact is steadily shaping a new generation of ocean stewards. With strengthened capacity, shared expertise, and lasting networks, the initiative is leaving a legacy that will outlive the programme itself, anchoring hope for healthier oceans and more resilient coastal communities especially in Ghana, Nigeria, and the wider African sub-region.
