6th International Joint Research Center of Marine Science Meeting and CCMAR Symposium

We will host the 6th Meeting of the International Joint Research Center of Marine Science, held alongside the CCMAR Symposium, on 23 and 24 September 2026. The event will bring together researchers from CCMAR, the University of the Algarve and its Chinese partner institutions: Shanghai Ocean University and Dalien Ocean University, for two days of scientific exchange and international collaboration in the marine sciences.

The opening session, on the morning of 23 September, will feature Adelino Canário, President of CCMAR; Alexandra Teodósio, Rector of the University of the Algarve; Jinlong Yang, Co-Coordinator of the International Joint Center; Yang Yirui, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China; and Fernando Alexandre, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation.

The participation of representatives from these institutions highlights the strategic importance of scientific cooperation between Portugal and China and the role of international partnerships in advancing research and innovation in the marine sciences.

Download the programme Registration

Two days of marine science research

The scientific programme brings together researchers from both institutions to discuss and share knowledge, reflecting the diversity and interdisciplinary nature of marine sciences research.

Topics include marine ecosystem conservation and management, covering marine protected areas, food webs, marine heatwaves and the monitoring of marine fauna movements; molecular biology and evolution, with research on larval settlement and metamorphosis, adaptive evolution and bacterial signalling in marine environments; and climate change and palaeoenvironmental research, including studies of marine organisms' responses to warming and environmental records preserved in marine sediments.

Aquaculture and nutrition will also feature prominently, with research addressing animal welfare, sustainable nutrition and novel diets for aquaculture species. Other sessions will focus on marine biotechnology and health, including marine-derived compounds, marine biotoxins, algal biotechnology and the biomedical potential of marine extracts.

The programme will also explore the application of new approaches and technologies to marine research, including artificial intelligence, bioimaging, data science, open science and European research policies.

Supporting research and maximising its impact

The second day will include a session dedicated to CCMAR's research support areas, highlighting the work of the teams that contribute to the Centre's scientific activity and impact. Communication and outreach, scientific platforms, education, innovation management, human resources, project management and financial services will all be represented.

The afternoon of 24 September will be dedicated to the workshop “Valuing Research Outputs”, led by José Ricardo Aguilar from Instituto Pedro Nunes, in Coimbra. The workshop will focus on the valorisation of research results and on opportunities to translate scientific knowledge into wider impact and value for society.

The programme will also include a Get Together in the courtyard of Building 7, providing an informal opportunity for Portuguese and Chinese participants to connect and exchange ideas.