October, 2014, Qingdao, China
A crucial component of the Earth is the vast blue ocean which holds within it the power of sustainable development for human society. However, the impacts of global environmental change and human activities on the environment bring unprecedented challenges to the health of Earth’s ecosystems and threaten the viability of the ocean. Participating as marine institutions of higher education and scientific research, it is our undeniable responsibility to expand and deepen our understanding of the ocean in a systemic way to effectively cope with this global challenge.
From October 24 to 26, 2014, the representatives from a group of universities and research institutions around the world, as well as international organizations, gathered at Ocean University of China (OUC), Qingdao, where topics on “Higher Education for Sustainable Ocean” and “Marine Science, Technology and Sustainable Development” have been explored and discussed, and the following consensus has been reached:
1. We will work at improving marine science and technology for accelerated and more useful advancements in ocean research. The participating parties agree to collaborate in activities that help build a global open research community for innovation and resource sharing. This action will enhance collaborative efforts in global ocean observation, prediction, exploitation, utilization, protection, and management, and we will meet the challenges in understanding the world’s oceans, making the oceans more transparent for mankind.
2. We also agree it is fundamental and essential to promote widespread dissemination of marine knowledge as well as to educate the next generation of marine-related professionals. All parties stand ready to enhance educational resources and share what they have learned among all the maritime countries and regions. The developed maritime countries and regions will endeavor to provide support for education and training of future marine professionals in developing maritime countries and regions.
3. All parties agree to be ready and willing to give access to their knowledge, expertise, and capabilities in marine-related fields to support building a shared, global vision and to propel global ocean sustainability through marine science and technology transfers.
Our goal is to jointly build an ocean of peace, cooperation, and harmony in order to bring benefits and prosperity to the next generation and for generations to come.
