WIOMSA invites eligible institutions and consortia based in the Western Indian Ocean region to submit Expressions of Interest to host the 14th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium. Expected to take place between July and October 2028, the Symposium serves as a premier gathering for marine and coastal researchers, students, policymakers, practitioners, civil society, and development partners.
Over recent iterations, the Symposium has grown substantially in both attendance and operational complexity.
Prospective hosts should prepare for an indicative planning scenario of approximately 1,500 to 1,800 participants, including a substantial in-person audience. Hosting this event requires comprehensive operational capacity, including a primary venue with plenary seating for peak attendance, approximately 10 to 15 parallel rooms for concurrent sessions, and substantial space for exhibitions and networking. Reliable digital infrastructure for registration, livestreaming, and remote participation is also a core requirement.
Eligibility and Partnerships
- Applications are welcome from universities, national marine and fisheries research institutes, NGOs, public agencies, and other suitably qualified regional institutions.
- Joint applications involving institutions from two or more Western Indian Ocean countries are highly encouraged.
- Partnerships with national governments and public agencies are recommended to strengthen scientific cooperation, organizational capacity, and regional engagement.
- Each bidding consortium must designate one lead institution responsible for coordinating the proposal and entering into the hosting agreement with WIOMSA.
Submission Guidelines
Applicants must submit a concise proposal of maximum five pages, which addresses institutional partnerships, proposed dates and host city accessibility, venue facilities, local services, and financial feasibility.
This proposal must be accompanied by the preliminary Host City and Venue Capacity Fact Sheet (Annex A) and any supporting institutional commitment letters.
All Expressions of Interest must be submitted as a single PDF document to secretary@wiomsa.org by 15th February 2027 at 23:59 East Africa Time (EAT).
Download the full Call for Expressions of Interest here.
