WIOGEN (West Indian Ocean Governance & Exchange Network) is a scientific networking platform and an integrative vision of social learning approaches that foster regional ocean governance. The partnership project comprises a transdisciplinary institutionally driven coalition of academic, policy-related, private and civil society partner institutions across the West Indian Ocean Region. It complements other regional marine science networks by focusing explicitly on ocean and coastal governance, thus systematically bridging the social and marine sciences. Furthermore, the networking project places emphasis on the capacity development of early career ocean governance researchers, policy-makers, tertiary educators, and development practitioners.

Thematically, the Science and Policy Network will be structured around three selected ocean governance themes:

• nutritional security, sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and livelihoods
• marine spatial planning and coastal management
• biodiversity conservation, pollution and habitat loss

The WIOGEN consortium is strengthened by joint advisory roles played by major regional, national and local actors that include the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and

Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean (CORDIO), alongside state-based scientific institutes, civil society organisations and policy entities. To achieve its overarching goal, the partnership format adopts an inclusive, democratically organised science network structure for scientific exchange and joint academic publishing. Additionally, it aims to co- design and roll out tailored pedagogic and learning practices for capacity development of early and mid-career participants, with a focus on virtual and other experimental formats. Lastly, the network will act in an intra-regional and trans-continental advisory capacity (East Africa- Europe) – based on the model of an inclusively growing/evolving institutional structure.