Answering questions about our global ocean requires a global and interdisciplinary network of marine scientists. Interaction with the Global South is crucial. Within the framework of international cooperation agreements between VLIZ and scientific institutions in the Global South, but also beyond, VLIZ awards participation grants. These grants allow promising students and early career professionals to exchange knowledge and gain practical experience during a short stay. For example, by participating in an international summer school organised by a Flemish marine research group. The grants also offer these early career scientists the opportunity - in line with their expertise - to participate in an international marine conference taking place in Belgium and (co-)organised by a Flemish marine research group.
DonATe to Support participation Grants for Early career scientists from the global South
Participation grants boost the professional career of the early career marine scientists. Moreover, it promotes contacts between the research groups in Flanders and those in the South, because the ocean knows no borders.
The candidates should be enrolled in an MSc or PhD programme in marine sciences and be under 35 years of age. Through a motivation letter, scientists can apply, completed with their CV, a letter of consent from their supervisor and a copy of their master's degree and/or proof of their PhD scholarship.
When a new grant is launched, you will read the details here and we will communicate it within the marine research landscape by sending out a 'call for proposals'.
Our contribution: with the grant, we enable young marine scientists to fully participate in the summer school or conference. The participation grant includes the cost of the flight, accommodation and registration fee. We determine the budget for the grant per event and fund it through The Sea as a Good Cause.
Your donation serves to enable participation grants for promising young marine scientists from the Global South. Donations can be made via the webshop or by transferring to the Flanders Marine Institute's philanthropy bank account number: BE70 0017 1687 3425 with the reference Gift for participation grants. Donations from EUR 40 per year are tax deductible. Do you wish to sponsor? Please contact filantropie@vliz.be and we will look at the possibilities together.
In the context of The 7th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, The Sea as a Good Cause and the Secretariat of the National Decade Committee for Belgium award participation grants to promising marine scientists. In doing so, we aim to give young marine researchers the opportunity to exchange knowledge and build networks during the conference.
Ten participation grants worth €2,500 each were awarded to young ocean professionals from the Global South who will present their research in a poster or oral presentation. The beneficiaries are:
Luz Ximena Orosco Montenegro, IMARPE, Peru
Mathews Wafula, KMFRI, Kenya
Rafaella Dueñas-Olvera, ESPOL, Ecuador
Shakeel Yavan Jogee, University of Mauritius/Eco-Sud, Mauritius
Daniel Cutrim, Federal University of Maranhão, Brazil
Maria Helena Benavides-Marchena, National University of Colombia, Colombia
Naidine Haricombe, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
Winnie Okoth, Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya
Yves Amoros Mitondrasoa, Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Madagascar
Sávio Gabriel, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Brazil
With special thanks to our sponsors:
The most recently awarded participation grants:
2026
EUREMAP Summer Training on Marine Bioprospecting, 29 June – 3 July, Ostend. Laureate: Sol Daniela Zuluaga Valencia, Institute of Marine and Coastal Research “José Benito Vives de Andréis” (INVEMAR), Colombia. Sponsored by Ibis Styles Bredene.
Ocean Optics Conference, 13–18 September, Ghent. Beneficiary: Shahimol S.R., Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, India.
2025
IKUWA8, the 8th International Congress for Underwater Archaeology, 13-17 oktober 2025, Oostende, beneficiaries: Vishmi Gunasinghe Sri-Lanka, - National Korea Maritime & Ocean University; Ying Cheng Taiwan - Research Center for Underwater Archaeology and Heritage, National Tsing Hua University; Jésus Mendoza Colombia – NGO Fundación Colombia Anfibia. Sponsored by C-Hotels.
2024
Ecopath 40 Years Conference & Workshops, June 3 to 8 in Ostend, organized by Ecopath International Initiative, the European Marine Board, VLIZ, and NOAA. Beneficiaries: Lerusha Naido, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Leticia Fernandes Alvarenga Monteiro, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Eduardo Vontobel, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Monsoon School, February 4 to 17, South Coast of Kenya, organized by the Master's program Oceans & Lakes, Technical University of Mombasa, Bahari Hai, Pwani University, and Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. Beneficiaries: Cliford Ochiel Owino, Technical University of Mombasa, Kenya; and Rashidi Bilali, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
UN Decade for Ocean Sciences Conference, April 8 to 12, 2024 in Barcelona, organized by the UN Ocean Decade. Beneficiary: Aina Le Don Nomenisoa, Madagascar-National Oceanographic Data Center.
2023
Blue Science and Technology Summer Training, July 3 – 14 in Ghent, Ostend, and Zeeland, organized by UGain. Beneficiaries: Javiera, IFOP Chile; and Flor, ESPOL Ecuador.