From October 24 to November 6, 2024, the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences organized the CAS Science & Technology Training Program for Belt and Road Initiative and Developing Countries – 2024 International Workshop on Monitoring and Control of Harmful Algal Blooms.

The training program brought together leading experts and resources in the field of harmful algal bloom (HAB) research from China and around the world. The comprehensive curriculum included lectures delivered entirely in English by 24 distinguished experts, such as Professor Joanna Mankiewicz-Boczek from the University of Łódź (Poland), Professor Po Teen Lim from the University of Malaya (Malaysia), Professor Deniz Özkundakci from the University of Waikato (New Zealand), Professor HAN Boping from Jinan University, and Profs. WU Qinglong, LIU Yongding, XUnJun, ZHOU Yiyong, SONG Lirong, GAN Nanqin, and CAO Xiuyun from various CAS institutes.

The program welcomed 20 participants, including 19 international trainees from eight countries—Czech Republic, Bangladesh, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Participants were trained in a range of HAB-related topics through a combination of academic lectures, hands-on laboratory sessions, field demonstrations, and site visits.

At the graduation ceremony, Prof. CAO Xiuyun presented certificates to the trainees, who also shared summaries of their experiences. Many expressed how the program enhanced their understanding of HABs, a pressing global environmental issue. The event fostered scientific collaboration and professional exchanges among countries along the Belt and Road, particularly in Southeast Asia.

The training program was sponsored by the CAS Bureau of International Cooperation and received additional support from the CAS Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, the Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Water Security, the Sediment Environment Professional Committee of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, the Water Environment Branch of the Chinese Society for Oceanology and Limnology, and the Hubei Society of Oceanology and Limnology.

The comprehensive curriculum included lectures delivered entirely in English by 24 distinguished experts. (Credit: IHB)

Hands-On Training Session of the Program (Credit: IHB)

Field Practice Session of the Program (Credit: IHB)

Graduation Ceremony (Credit: IHB)