PENANG, 7 December 2025 - The Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) International Summer School 2025 was successfully held from 4–11 November 2025 at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS).

The programme brought together 51 participants, comprising 34 students and 17 instructors, representing an impressive 24 countries.

The turnout marked the event as one of the most internationally diverse marine science training workshops hosted in Malaysia.

This year’s summer school welcomed early-career researchers and practitioners from across five continents.

Participants came from the United States; United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Croatia, Sweden and Poland in Europe; China, Japan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines across Asia; South Africa and Namibia from Africa; Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador and Peru from the Americas; and New Zealand from Oceania.

The strong representation from 24 nations underscored the global commitment in jointly addressing the challenges of ocean deoxygenation and ocean acidification.

Over the eight-day programme, participants underwent an intensive schedule of lectures, hands-on laboratory sessions, modelling workshops, field sampling and policy-focused discussions.

The training was led by distinguished instructors from institutions in Germany, France, China, the United States, the Philippines, Peru and Malaysia, reflecting the international calibre of expertise involved.

Field activities around Penang’s coastal waters offered participants real-world exposure to tropical marine systems.

The excursions enabled them to collect oceanographic and carbonate chemistry data while gaining insights into Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to restore and protect vulnerable marine habitats.

These experiences proved especially valuable for participants who were more familiar with temperate ecosystems, providing a broader understanding of global ocean–climate dynamics.

The group also visited Pulau Gazumbo in the Middle Bank, home to the last remaining seagrass beds in the Straits of Malacca. Hands-on studies, which is one of CEMACS’ long-held strengths, allowed participants to deepen their knowledge and develop practical field skills.

The event highlighted Malaysia’s growing role as a regional hub for capacity-building in ocean science and climate resilience.

Hosting a scientific training programme of this scale reinforced USM’s and particularly CEMACS’ commitment to advancing the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Beyond technical training, the summer school also fostered a strong spirit of international collaboration.

Participants left Penang with an expanded network of peers and mentors, strengthening global partnerships, vital in addressing issues such as coastal hypoxia, marine ecosystem degradation and the escalating impacts of climate change.

CEMACS and USM expressed their appreciation to all instructors, partners, sponsors and participants for contributing to the success of this landmark event.

The GOOD-OARS Summer School 2025 represents an important step towards nurturing the next generation of ocean scientists equipped with the skills, data and global perspective needed to safeguard the future of the world’s oceans.

Text & Photos: Annette Jaya-Ram & Prof. Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai, CEMACS USM