Centre for Marine Studies

Contact Information

About

The CMS is a marine environmental consultancy at the University of Cape Town and as such we are able to employ almost any expert in any marine field amongst the teaching and research staff at UCT.

During recent years the University of Cape Town has been recognised as the de facto centre of excellence in the wider marine field, not only for Southern Africa, but probably for Africa as a whole. Government bodies, statutory bodies, commercial companies and foreign governments have increasingly been turning to UCT for expert advice on a range of marine and maritime matters. Recognising that it had no working organisation in place to receive and effectively process such requests, the University saw the need for a formal Centre for Marine Studies which could play a pivotal role in this regard. In January 1993 the Centre for Marine Studies was given the official go-ahead by the University and began acting as a focal point for marine studies within the University and as a visible interface between the University and the larger community. Its operations are neatly summarised in its mission statement: "The Centre for Marine Studies will actively promote and develop marine studies at UCT, inter alia - by providing interdisciplinary co-ordination - by facilitating the flow of information among marine scientists - by encouraging and facilitating new multi-disclipinary marine and coastal contract work which utilises academic expertise for the benefit of the community." Making use of UCT's multi-disclipinary expertise, we offer:  Personal consultations prior to any contract to define the precise nature of the service required.  A clearly drawn up contract of agreement.  Supervision of all contracts by senior academic staff of the University.  Supervised employment of students who thus gain both by receiving practical training and by obtaining funds to help finance their studies.  Prompt delivery of the required product.  Expert evaluation of the all products to ensure excellence.  Facilitation and running of educational / training short courses. This has been a highly successful endeavour due to a number of factors:  We have a consultant base which is unrivalled, being able to employ any expert on campus, in any of the marine fields.  All our reports are independently and anonymously peer reviewed to ensure the highest standard of scientific reporting.  In addition to contracting senior lecturers and professors we also employ post-graduate students under strict supervision in order to provide them with on the job training. This enables us to provide an exceptional service at the best possible rates.

Keywords