The 2025 Ocean University of China Polar Ocean and Global Change Graduate Student Forum (GAFPOGOC) was successfully held on May 26, 2025. Organized by the Graduate School, the Key Laboratory of Polar Ocean Processes and Global Ocean Change, and the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, the forum attracted dozens of graduate students from five institutions, including Tongji University, Sun Yat-sen University, the Information Engineering University, and China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).

Professor Chen Zhaohui, Dean of the Graduate School, delivered a welcoming address highlighting the university's pioneering role in polar research since the 1980s. He noted that the university has dispatched over 200 participants to polar expeditions and cultivated a research team of more than 60 scientists, including six disciplinary leaders. The forum featured 15 graduate student presentations selected through a nationwide call, addressing Arctic physical processes, sea ice modeling, and ecological security.Professor Huang Fei introduced the forum's mission, emphasizing its role as a professional platform for young scholars and graduate students to exchange ideas and explore scientific frontiers in polar and ocean research. She encouraged participants to engage fully in academic dialogue and contribute to China's maritime power strategy.

The forum encompassed disciplines including physical oceanography, atmospheric science, and marine biology. Participants presented research across four thematic sessions: Physical Processes of A More Dynamic Arctic Ocean; Arctic Amplification and Extreme Events; Arctic Sea Ice Observation Techniques and Modelling; and Processes and Driving Mechanisms of Biogeochemical Cycling in the Arctic Ocean.

Following expert evaluation, the forum presented awards for outstanding presentations, including two first prizes, five second prizes, and eight third prizes. The event successfully facilitated academic exchange among graduate students nationwide, promoted talent development in polar and marine research, and inspired young researchers to contribute to China’s maritime power strategy.

The forum strengthened inter-university collaboration and interdisciplinary dialogue, providing a vital platform for young scholars to expand their academic horizons and enhance innovative capabilities in polar ocean science.