The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences (XMAS 2025)

Capacity Building is a cornerstone of international research programmes, fostering the development of research capabilities and innovation. Empowering individual capacity to execute cutting-edge research projects is crucial for both developing and developed economies. Using the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) - a Large-Scale Ocean Research Project under SCOR and a Global Research Network under Future Earth - as a case study, this work will examine key initiatives that support interdisciplinary marine research and promote the development of early career researchers. These initiatives will be analyzed to identify best practices and models for future ECOP activities. Additionally, the work will highlight multiple avenues through which ECOP can engage with international programmes and leverage these platforms for career advancement. As IMBeR prepares its new science plan for 2026-2035, this workshop will also provide a scoping opportunity to gather input from the ECOP communities.