International Cooperation of Marine Science Department.

The Department of Marine Science received a substantial support from UNESCO/UNDP during 1979-1984 for the improvement of staff facilities, and expert advice. Several cooperative programmer have been going on for some years with universities in the ITS., Australia, Japan, Germany, {J.K. and Sweden. Visiting foreign scientists are welcome to work in the Department. The Department participates actively in the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, PREP' and several ASEAN Marine Science programmes.

The Department has hosted several training/workshops on marl ne chemists y and living resources as well as physical oceanography. Other marine science-related projects situated within the Department of Marine Science are:

1. ASEAN-Australia Marine Science Projects Living Coast Resources.

The Living Coastal Re sources project is a collaboration between ASEAN and Australian marine scientists to monitor and do research on mangrove? coral reef, seagrass and soft-sediment community resources of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since 1984, this project has received funding from the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau (AIDAB ). The project is complemented by the Regional Ocean Dynamics which examines currents and tidal movement in ASEAN waters.

2. Marine Biotechnology Unit

This unit under the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, has its laboratory and office in the Department of Marine Science. Several Marine Science staff assist in its projects.