This decade is dedicated to “Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”, as many activities (mainly economic) have been oriented towards the Sea. Scientific diving is a common research practice for various disciplines related to this domain. Compliance with internationally recognized standards for safe diving activities and with the ethics for the application of scientific methods underwater requires relevant training.

Although diving training for other purposes (e.g., rescue, military, or technical work) including recreation is provided by the related bodies, the same is not true in the case of diving for scientific purposes. Education in scientific subjects (such as Scientific Diving) falls under the responsibility of higher education institutions.

The aim of this programme is to provide an academic framework for education on Scientific Diving. Participants are introduced to an interdisciplinary “collaboration and learning” environment, cultivated by the trainers, experts in diving, safety, surveying, archaeology, biology, geology, data analysis, ecology, oceanography, and communication.

Divers (students or researchers), who participate in the training, attend theoretical and practical sessions with subjects such as safety on scientific diving, sharing and delegation of roles (for operational or scientific needs), and use of underwater scientific instruments and tools. They will also be able to collaborate within an interdisciplinary team of divers to complete assigned scientific diving tasks.

Upon completion of the course, participants will:

• Be familiar with the skills, procedures, and techniques applicable to a scientific diving project (i.e., diving-related knowledge, Scientific Methodologies and Protocols, and Practical Scientific Diving Skills as described by ISO 8804-1),
• Be able to understand and recognize potential problems and risks associated with underwater research,

Be able to cooperate with the team members of an underwater research project.

The programme is addressed to adults who are already certified as SCUBA divers and have a keen interest in scientific diving.  The target group includes primarily students or scientists from any discipline associated with the aquatic environment (e.g., archaeology, biology, chemistry, geology, ecology, engineering, journalism, oceanography etc.) as well as other divers who want to be introduced in scientific diving.

The programme is addressed to adults who are already certified as SCUBA divers.

Holding a Rescue diver (or equivalent) certification, as well as being familiar with the use of standard diving equipment are considered basic requirements. Candidates will be selected based on the relevance of their diving and scientific background with the course’s objectives (priority will be given to students).

Before being eligible to participate in any diving activity of the course, applicants should provide the required administrative documentation provided by the programme, filled in and signed, as well as a signed medical screening for the applicant’s suitability to dive.

All candidates should be available to participate in a dive session for an assessment of their basic diving skills prior to participation in any other dive training activity. Assessment is based on the readiness to appropriately use and take care of the personal diving equipment, control buoyancy, maintain contact with the buddy, and to monitor depth, time, and remaining gas throughout the dive. In case of incapability to practice these basic diving skills, candidates will be excluded from the dive training of the course (keeping the right to attend any non-diving activities and receive a certificate of attendance or to participate in the next cycle of the programme after having remediated their skills).

Participants should have access to a computer with internet access and administrative rights (for the installation of software) and a personal email account. For the course’s diving activities, participants should bring their own diving equipment, including the following:

• Fins, mask, and snorkel
• Buoyancy control device (BCD) with tank mount or separate backpack and low-pressure inflator
• Primary regulator and alternate air source
• Breathing gas monitoring device (e.g., submersible pressure gauge)
• Depth monitoring device or dive computer
• Adequate exposure protection appropriate for local dive conditions.
• At least one audible emergency surface signaling device (whistle, air horn, etc.).
• Dive Planning tables and timing device (e.g., bottom timer), or dive computer
• Dive knife or cutting tool
• Compass

The course consists of an introductory section, three main sections, and one workshop.

The introduction will be performed during an online meeting and will be open to all applicants. During this section the course outline will be presented, and the digital training material will be provided. The duration of this section is 1 hour.

A knowledge development section will be performed online with lectures followed by discussions on the presented topics. Online meetings will be recorded and will be available to the participants for post-viewing until the end of the course. The total duration of this section is 28 hours.

The skills development section will be performed in person and on site for carrying out dry and in-water exercises. The total duration of this section, including dive time (at least 300 minutes / 10 dives), is 40 hours.

Online workshops will follow the skills development section, for the handling processing and reporting of recorded data. The duration of this section is 14 hours.

In the last section the overall performance of the participants will be assessed. The duration of this section is 9 hours.

Course Description

The total duration of the course is 91 hours (providing 4 ECTS) and includes a Knowledge development Section (theory), a Skill Development Section (practice), online workshops, autonomous learning, and evaluation on the following 6 topics:

Topic 1: Diving International Standards, Occupational Framework, Operational Needs, Dive Planning & Gas Management, Underwater Navigation & Orientation, Site Preparation, Basic Diving Skills

Topic 2: Safety Operational & Diving Safety, Risk Management

Topic 3: UW Survey GIS Mapping, Field Surveying & Technology, Samples and Data Handling, Ecology & Environmental Studies, 3D Data Handling and Modelling

Topic 4: UW Natural Features, Geological features and sampling, Ocean conditions, Flora & Fauna, Sampling

Topic 5: UW Cultural Heritage Tangible and Intangible features, Artefacts Handling

Topic 6: UW Science Literacy and Communication Communicating Science, Media & Public Engagement and Awareness, Communicating Scientific Data

The topics will be engaged in the following manner:

Knowledge development – 28 hours (0.93 ECTS)

International Standards, History of Scientific Diving, Multidisciplinarity, Ethics, Organizing the dive, Dive modes, Diving environments, Communication Equipment, Special Equipment, Site Selection, Marking, Assessment (environmental awareness). Navigation, Line work, Establishing datum, Transects & Baselines, Quadrat & Grid, Sketching & drafting, Scientific equipment (deployment-recovery), Measuring, Tagging, Media recording, Sampling, Mapping, Photogrammetry – photo quadrat, Underwater positioning, Data Handling (processing, evaluation, archiving), Reporting.

Skill development – 40 hours (1.33 ECTS)

Intro -shakedown dive, Rescue scenario, UW navigation – line work – SMB, Tools management, site reconnaissance – notes – photos, Datum – Transect – Tagging, Quadrat, Sketch, Mapping – measure, Sampling, Photogrammetry

Online workshops – 14 hours (0.46 ECTS)

Data Handling (processing, evaluation, archiving), Reporting.

Autonomous learning – 27.5 hours (0.92 ECTS)

Study the material of face-to-face/synchronous teaching and preparation of assignments, etc.

Evaluation – 9 hours (0.3 ECTS)

Evaluation will be carried out throughout the project in selected intervals.

The programme will provide the participants with:

• the link to the ScienceDIVER Student’s Manual (digital version available online)
• the links to the ScienceDIVER Demo Videos (available online)
• the links to the video recordings of the online meetings (available only for participants)
• the links to the required administrative and medical screening documents
• filled breathing gas tanks and weights (during the diving training)
• underwater writing slates, with pencils
• any specialized diving equipment (required for the training)
• any scientific instruments or tools (required for the training)
• any links for downloading specialized software (required for the training)

During and after the project, participants will be able to collaborate with the instructors and become part of a network of science divers from various disciplines.

Upon completion, participants receive 4 ECTS and a certification by the Center for Education and Lifelong Learning, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Obligations of Trainees:

1. Participation in the programs of K.E.DI.BI.M. of the AUTH implies full acceptance of the program’s Study Guide and the Internal Regulation of Operation of the K.E.DI.BI.M. of the AUTH.
2. The presence/attendance of trainees in the educational programs is mandatory. In the programmes that are realized in physical presence, as in those implemented using the modern method of tele-education, the study is generally mandatory, and the limit of absences cannot exceed 10% of the prescribed training hours. The monitoring of asynchronous education is implemented according to the study schedule set by each programme.
3. For the successful completion of the program, the participants should:
4. not exceed 10% absences of the scheduled training hours
5. have passed the exams
6. have paid all the tuition fees by 31/05/2025.

Rights of Trainees:

1. Trainees are informed by the Department of Administrative Support of K.E.DI.BI.M. for all kinds of information related to the operation of the Centre.
2. Trainees are supported electronically through the educational platform by the trainers, as part of the educational process, to resolve questions and provide clarifications related to the thematic units of the programme.
3. Trainees have the right to apply for the interruption/termination of their program attendance and a refund of their tuition fees in accordance with the provisions of par. 12.9 hereof.
4. Students’/Trainees’ work is protected under the Copyright Regulations/Provisions.

After successful completion of the program, participants receive a Certificate of Training, which is issued by the Center for Education and Lifelong Learning of the AUTH and signed by the President of the Center.

Participants who have attended but not successfully completed the program will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance.

For further information, please contact:

Name/Surname: Kyriaki Chatzikyriakidou (administrative matters)

Tel: 694 632 2357

Available hours:

Email:  kchatzikyriak@gmail.com

Name/Surname: Alex Tourtas (scientific matters)

Tel: 6937305578

Available hours: 09.00-12.00 a.m.

Email:  alextourtas@gmail.com

Name/Surname: Kimon Papadimitriou (academic matters)

Tel: 695 550 0107

Available hours: 09.00-12.00 a.m.

Email:  paki@auth.gr