Recognizing the need to build indigenous capacity to advance integrated coastal management in the Western Indian Ocean region, the Coastal Resources Center partnered with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) to create a new and innovative approach to region-wide capacity building — a modular training program that changed its venue module-by-module in order to expose the participants to the breadth and scope of ICM experience and repertoir residing in four different places within the region — Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, and Madagascar.

The assessment of the skills of coastal managers within the region showed a need for training in the following four areas:

• technical skills
• ICM practice knowledge skills
• professional skills
• project/program management skills

The course responded to these findings and built a curriculum that reflected this diversity of skills training.