ISA-IFREMER Meioscool Workshop 2026
13 Apr 2026 - 17 Apr 2026
Call for Registrations
ISA-IFREMER Meioscool Workshop 2026
April 13 – 17, 2026 | IUEM – Technopole Brest Iroise, rue Dumont d’Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) in partnership with IFREMER is pleased to announce the upcoming ISA-IFREMER Meioscool Workshop 2026, a unique opportunity to advance your knowledge and skills in marine meiofauna taxonomy and research.
It is the mandate of ISA, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment and promote and encourage marine scientific research in the international seabed area. ISA is also committed to contributing towards the scientific objectives of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, as reflected in the Action Plan in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development adopted by the ISA Assembly in December 2020. Developing innovative, cost-effective and practical tools and methodologies for the assessment and monitoring of deep-sea biodiversity is essential to ensure activities in international seabed area are environmentally sustainable. Through this partnership with Ifremer, ISA aims to contribute to identifying scientifically robust, coherent and coordinated ways to advance knowledge of deep-sea biodiversity and enhance capacities in relation to deep-sea taxonomy, particularly among its developing Member States.
Meiofauna is one of the fundamental components of benthic communities and are characterised by their high abundance and diversity, fast turnover rates and the key roles they play in the food web. Meiofauna comprises most of the known animal phyla and is certainly the most abundant and diversified group in the world ocean.
Building upon the success of previous MeioScool’s editions, ISA-Ifremer-Meioscool 2026 will explore the world of deep-sea meiofauna in the context of deep-sea mineral exploration and possible future exploitation.
Workshop objectives
The ISA-Ifremer-Meioscool aims to bridge the gap in understanding and studying meiofauna diversity and its ecological significance by facilitating capacity building, knowledge-sharing, and international collaboration. Specifically, the workshop will bring together several meiofaunal experts to:
- Increase awareness of researchers, students and the general public to the fundamental role of meiofauna in marine ecosystems up to the abyssal depths.
- Train students and researchers in the identification and description of meiofauna through several complementary disciplines (taxonomy, ecology, molecular biology, microscopy, imaging, AI) with the aim of stimulating a new generation of meiobenthologists.
The school will last 5 days, comprising a mix of lectures and practical sessions devoted to field and laboratory work (sampling, extraction, identification of major and minor meiofaunal taxonomic groups, imaging, etc..).
Further details can be found in the workshop terms of reference and the draft programme.
Workshop outputs:
Attendees will receive:
- Hands-on experience with meiofauna sampling and extraction techniques
- Training in advanced ID morphology, FlowCytometry meiofauna imaging and sorting and 3D imaging of single specimen
- Access to ISA- Ifremer Meioscool Training Kit and e-learning resources
- Networking with leading experts and peers in meiofauna research
- Opportunity to contribute to the next generation of deep-sea biodiversity research
Registration and selection
Members of ISA, as well as observers, contractors, international and regional organizations, projects/programs and initiatives, and academic/scientific institutions, are invited to register here as soon as possible, but no later than 30 October 2025.
The maximum number of participants will be limited to 20 to enable effective engagement and training. Participants will be selected based on their experience in meiofauna diversity studies as well as their interest in collaboration in deep-sea meiofauna research and taxonomy. Geographic representation and gender balance will be taken into consideration. Selected participants will be notified by 28 November 2025.
Funding will be available by the organizers to support travel, accommodation, coffee breaks, lunches, and workshop materials for the selected participants.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences
- Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Marine Biology (or equivalent)
- National of a developing country
- Proficient in English (written and oral)
- Motivated and interested in meiofauna research and marine biodiversity
- Background in benthic fauna and/or taxonomy is recommended but not mandatory
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should prepare the following:
- Updated CV
- Motivation letter explaining interest in meiofauna research and this workshop
- Certificate of Bachelor of science in Natural Science or related field
- Proof of enrolment in a Master’s program in Marine Biology or related field
- Reference letter (optional but recommended)
For enquiries, please contact:
All queries concerning should be directed to sski@isa.org.jm