Beijing Pioneer Hi-tech. Development Corporation Ltd. (BPC) pursuant to its contract for exploration for polymetallic nodules, signed with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on 18 October 2019, is offering five fellowship training opportunities to candidates from developing States within its 2026 training programme.
OVERVIEW OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME:
The training programme will be organized by BPC in cooperation with universities and academic institutions in Beijing, Shanghai, and other locations in China. The programme will combine general courses, practical training, and expert lectures, with the aim of enhancing participants’ comprehensive understanding of deep-sea resource exploration and exploitation.
The programme will include general courses covering physical oceanography, marine geology, marine engineering technologies, and marine law and policy. The training is scheduled to take place between July and December 2026 in Shanghai, Beijing, or other cities in China and will last for approximately three months.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
To be considered for this opportunity, candidates must meet the following requirements:
Educational Background: A bachelor’s and/or master’s degree, or equivalent qualification, in marine geology, marine geophysics, marine environment (including biology or ecology), or marine technology and equipment.
Professional Experience: Relevant work experience or professional engagement related to the content of the training programme.
Language Proficiency: Proficiency in English (both spoken and written).
Health Status: Good physical health, supported by a medical certificate issued by a recognized medical institution. Nb. This will be required if selected for the training.
Age: Under 45 years old.
Technical Capacity: Possession of basic research or management skills.
Disclaimer: Employees of ISA’s exploration contractors are not eligible to apply to the Contractors’ Training Programme.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT:
BPC will cover the following expenses which are in direct relation to the training:
Travel: International round-trip airfare (economy class, travel details should be provided at least 30 days in advance to facilitate ticket booking).
Accommodation and meals incurred for the duration of the training period in China (arranged in accordance with university or institute management requirements).
Insurance: Personal accident insurance during the training period in China.
Visa Support: Visa application fees paid to the Chinese embassy.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
The selected candidates shall accept the management arrangements of BPC during the training period and comply with the ISA Contractors’ Training Programme Code of Conduct for Trainees which shall be signed prior to the start of the programme.
No later than four (4) weeks after the training has ended, each trainee shall submit an end-of-training report to BPC and ISA outlining, amongst other things, the training completed, the benefits of the training opportunity, the knowledge gained and how the training will advance their career/educational pursuits.
Upon successful completion of the programme, trainees shall receive a certificate from ISA.
Trainees shall also be required to submit a supplementary report to ISA five (5) years after the training has been completed, to allow for an assessment of the long-term benefits of the programme.
HOW TO APPLY:
All interested applicants are invited to register and submit their applications on the ISA CTP Application Portal, along with their supporting documents, including:
- A coloured passport sized photo
- A copy of their passport biographical page or national identification card.
- Signed nomination form [doc/pdf] by the nominating entity.
- Copy of degree and/or certificate
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé
- Proof of sufficient knowledge of English
Applicants must select the following options when applying for this training opportunity on the Application Portal:
Contractor Name: Beijing Pioneer Hi-tech. Development Corporation Ltd. (BPC)/PMN
Year: 2026
Programme Name: Fellowship
Specialization: N/A
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31 March 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed.
One of the Voluntary Commitments registered by ISA at the 2017 UN Ocean Conference (#OceanAction 40768) and reiterated at the 2022 UN Ocean Conference aims at “Advancing women’s empowerment in marine scientific research”– As partner of the Women in Deep-Sea Research project (WIDSR), BPC has pledged to allocate 50% of the training opportunities to qualified women applicants.
All queries concerning this training programme should be directed to training@isa.org.jm