WMO Global Campus evolves in Africa

A meeting of the Directors of World Meteorological Regional Training Centers (RTCs) in Regional Association I (RA I, Africa) and Allied Training Partners working in the region was held from 28 October 2019 to 1 November 2019 in Cairo, Egypt, hosted by the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) and the WMO RTC Cairo.

The Meeting was organized organized by the WMO Education and Training Office (ETR) in response to the recommendations of the 13th Forum for Education and Training (SYMET), which requires implementation decisions, particularly in RA I (Africa). The main goal of the Meeting was to explore opportunities to strengthen cooperation and support in serving WMO Members within the framework of the WMO Global Campus.

The Meeting was attended by around 30 representatives from eighteen regional and international educational organizations, including WMO RTCs, international organizations and universities. Participants reviewed the roles and operation of RTCs, identified their strengths opportunities, and discussed the outcomes of SYMET-13, with particular focus on further development and implementation of the WMO Global Campus initiative in Africa, including increased university collaboration. In addition to these agenda items, the Meeting also reviewed of outcomes of the 18th WMO Congress and 71st Executive Council and the implications for and opportunities they bring to RTCs.

The Meeting identified collaboration opportunities for RA I RTCs and external partners, selected the most promising and beneficial collaboration opportunities, and developed implementation plans for these. In conclusion participants set the milestones and the established ongoing working arrangements and follow-up actions for the activities of the WMO Global Campus to be implemented in the Region.

The concept of a WMO Global Campus was introduced in September 2013  to promote increased collaboration between training institutions to help overcome the gap between training demand and supply. The initiative was approved by Cg-18 with Resolution 72.