Format and distribution
1 CourseswillbeavailableinbothhardcopyandonCD-ROMforpurchasethroughthe
IMO Publishing Service.
Reviewand updating
2 Courseswillbereviewedonafive-yearcycletodeterminewhetheramajorrevisionmaybe needed,notingthatifanycompellingreasonforconsideringareviewofthecoursescomestolightin
theinterim period,theMEPCOPRC-HNSTechnicalGroupisfreetoconsiderandinitiatesucha revision at any time, subject to the approval ofthe Marine Environment Protection Committee.
Validation process
3 In order to ensure proper vetting of both newly developed and revised OPRC training materialsfortechnicalcontentinastructuredandconsistentfashion,andtoassisttheTechnical Groupinreviewingmodelcoursessubmitted,avalidationgroupwillbeestablishedcomprisedof one IMO representative and representatives from three or four interested Member States and InternationalOrganizationswhichparticipateintheOPRC-HNSTechnicalGroup,possessinga combination of technical and training expertise.
The validation ofnew or revised courses will be carried out as follows:
.1 themembersofthegroupmaybeassistedbyadvisersasneededandshouldbe authorizedbytheTechnicalGrouptoworkintersessionallybycorrespondenceas necessary;
.2 upon receiving a finished draft model course from the course designers, the
Secretariatwilldistributecopiestoeachdesignatedmemberofthevalidatinggroup;
.3 each validating group member, following consultation as necessary with their advisers,willprovidetheothermembersofthevalidatinggroupandtheSecretariat withtheirproposedamendmentsandsupportingremarkswithinanagreedtimelimit, usually one month;
.4 theSecretariatwilltransmitallproposedamendmentsandsupportingremarkstothe course designers;
.5 the course designers will respond as appropriate through the Secretariat to the members of the validating group within an agreed time limit;
.6 proposedamendmentswillbereviewedandincorporated,asappropriate,inarevised
model course;
.7 thereviseddraftmodelcoursewillbeprocessedbytheSecretariatfordistributionon thebasisofonecopyperdelegation,observingtherulesgoverningsubmissionof documents;
.8 comments submitted on the proposed model courses by other members of the
Technical Group will be distributed in the usual manner;
.9 theTechnicalGroupwillgivepreliminaryconsiderationtothedraftmodelcourses andallcommentsmadethereon,ifany. Followingthis,theTechnicalGroupwill eitherreferittothevalidatinggroupforconsiderationindetailorvalidatethemodel course;
.10 thecoursedesigner,ifconsiderednecessary,willbemadeavailabletoadvisethe validating group on the course design rationale;
.11 thevalidatinggroupwillprepareareportlistingallagreedamendmentstotherevised draft model course as circulated to the Technical Group;
.12 theTechnicalGroupwillthenconsiderthevalidatinggroupreporttogetherwiththe revised draft model course and validate that course if appropriate; and
.13 any course validated by the Technical Group will be referred to the Marine
Environment Protection Committee for its consideration and approval.