ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre
About the JTRC
The ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC) was launched in November 2020 during a virtual ceremony hosted by ISA Secretary-General and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, Mr. Wang Hong.
The JTRC was established as the first-ever joint training and research centre in Qingdao, China following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ISA and the State Oceanic Administration of China in October 2019. The JTRC provides a new platform for ISA to promote capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology to developing States to advance and share human knowledge of the deep ocean and its environment.
Training workshops
The JTRC offers training programmes in marine science and technology, as well as in techniques for marine scientific research designed to facilitate the full participation of developing States in activities in the international deep-seabed area.
It supports the conduct of collaborative research programmes related to the latest developments concerning activities in the deep seabed, along with organizing conferences and workshops and disseminating the results of marine scientific research in easily accessible publications.
The first training took place virtually from 24 to 26 May 2022 and involved 55 participants from 20 countries, including 45 per cent of nationals from least developed countries, landlocked developing countries or small island developing States and 45 per cent of women.
The first JTRC workshop focused on survey and assessment of mineral resources, characteristics of deep-sea ecosystems and environmental management, and the global repository of data from exploration activities in the Area.
The second JTRC training workshop took place in Qingdao, China and focused on marine science and technology. It was targeted at junior scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds (marine geologists, marine biologists, oceanographers, biogeochemists and others) with an interest in the deep sea as well as governmental officials.
The programme of the two-week training workshop included:
- Theoretical lectures on deep-sea related topics such as mineral resources, environmental protection, deep-sea biodiversity and habitats, and deep-sea technologies and equipment
- Operational practice of underwater vehicles and simulators
- Site visits to the ocean-related institutions in Qingdao
- Offshore operation onboard a research vessel
- Participation in an international symposium that will take place in Qingdao
- Group assignment and evaluation.
The third training workshop on the title “Advancing Marine Spatial Planning in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction for Sustainable Deep-Sea Stewardship: Best Practices and Key Insights from the REMP Process” will take place in Qingdao, China. The workshop will focus on the scientific and technical needs of developing States, members of ISA related to REMPs.
The objective of the five-day workshop is to provide comprehensive training related to:
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- concepts and scientific approaches in spatial planning
- the policy context and procedures in developing and implementing REMPs in the Area
- environmental characteristics and risks from activities in the Area, and their implications for spatial planning; and
- sources of data and methodologies used in REMP processes
4th training workshop of the ISA – China Joint Training and Research Center (ISA-China JTRC)
“The Whys and Hows of Cumulative Impact Assessment for Effective Protection of the Marine Environment: Methods, Case Studies, and Best Practices.”
Dates: 27 May to 5 June 2026
Location: Sanya, Hainan Province – China
The call for applications has closed and successful candidates have been notified.
Any questions can be addressed to jtrc@isa.org.jm.
Call for 2026-2027 project proposals under the ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) are pleased to announce the launch of the 2026-2027 Call for Project Proposals under the ISA–China Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC). This call forms part of the JTRC Scientific Research Work Plan for 2026–2027 and aims to strengthen international scientific collaboration in support of the ISA Marine Scientific Research Action Plan and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
The call invites joint research consortia composed of institutions from China and developing Member States of ISA—particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—to submit proposals under two research directions:
Direction 1: Scientific Biological Data Analysis and Management in Deep-Sea Habitats
This research project is currently being implemented by a consortium consisting of researchers from the Seabed Minerals Authority of the Cook Islands are advancing biodiversity assessments of the North-West Pacific in collaboration with the Second Institute of Oceanography of China.
Key activities envisioned under this direction include:
- Conduct a scientific review of biological data contained in ISA’s DeepData database, as well as a compilation of biological data publicly available from other global taxonomic databases and published peer-reviewed literature for selected priority region.
- Identify priorities for taxonomic identification and description of deep-sea species using scientific criteria underpinning spatial and non-spatial environmental management measures (e.g. biogeographic importance, ecological significance, vulnerability, connectivity, among others). Assess biodiversity metrics across the region and validate existing habitat suitability models using newly collected data.
- Develop species identification tools, such as a regional species checklist and/or catalogue as recently developed for the Clarion Clipperton Zone detailing the taxonomy, distribution, and ecological characteristics for the prioritized region such as the Indian Ocean and/or Northwest Pacific. Assess biodiversity metrics across the region and validate existing habitat suitability models using newly collected data.
The expected outcomes include:
- Technical study describing results of biological data analysis, including bio-geographic distribution and assessment of needs and priorities for taxonomic data standardization in the study region(s) and for identifying biological indicators of characteristic habitats across the region(s).
- Regional species checklists to aid in species identification and descriptions in selected regions in the Area and available for future taxonomic projects and collaborations.
Direction 2: Historical data scientific analysis, new data processing and machine learning techniques for DeepData
Recognizing the strategic importance of data as the foundation of scientific research, and informed by both ISA’s needs assessment and China’s strong expertise in this field, it is proposed that the 2026 research domain focus on big data. The volume of data released will remain consistent with the available funding to ensure feasibility and realistic work planning.
Proposed Research Activities
- Data cleaning and validation of historical DeepData datasets, in close collaboration with the ISA Data Team.
- Development of statistical models using artificial intelligence methods to analyse validated data sets and generate meaningful scientific insights.
Expected Outcomes
- Enhanced usability of DeepData, including historical datasets cleaned, validated, and ready for scientific analysis.
- Improved data availability, achieved through comprehensive data processing, validation, and advanced statistical modelling.
Selected projects will receive financial support of up to approximately RMB 260,000 (about USD 36,600). and will run for a maximum period of 20 months.
The deadline for submission of proposals is 4 September 2026.
Submission details can be found here:
Call for Proposals | Annex A | Annex B
Instructions for submission:
- All applications must be submitted in English.
- Please fill out the following MS Forms: Annex A and B.
- Proposal must be submitted by 4th of September
- Save your proposal using the following format: “Last Name First Name_JTRC 2026 Proposal_DeepData”
- Please email the full proposal with the subject line of the email clearly indicating the submission is for JTRC Proposal on DeepData. Email proposal to: jtrc@isa.org.jm
- Only complete proposals presented through the formats provided will be considered.
JTRC Steering Committee
The JTRC Steering Committee is the governing body of the JTRC. It was established in 2020 with the purpose of guiding the institutional set-up of the Centre and the work of the JTRC Secretariat. The Committee has held three meetings so far (in 2020, 2021 and 2022). The Committee was responsible for creating the Centre’s structure and work plan, and adopted documents related to the JTRC training activities.
The JTRC Steering Committee is composed of the following members:
- Mr. José Dallo Moros, Chair of the Steering Committee and Director of the Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources, ISA
- Dr. Georgy Cherkashov, Research Director of The All-Russia Scientific Research Institute for Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean, The Russian Federation
- Dr. Suzan Mohamed El-Gharabawy, Head of the Marine Geophysics Department at the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Egypt
- Mr. Fan Jingsheng, Deputy Director-General of China Deep Ocean Affairs Administration
- Ms. Chen Danhong, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources of China
- Mr. Pan Xinchun, Vice President and Secretary-General of China Oceanic Development Foundation
- Ms. Gu Wu, Director-General of National Deep Sea Center of China
