During June 25-27, 2013, the Sino-Pakistan Joint workshop on Estuarine and Coastal Studies was held in Shanghai hosted by the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC). More than 30 scientists from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Pakistan, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Pakistan, the Second Institute of Oceanography (SIO), State Ocean Administration, and SKLEC, East China Normal University attended the workshop. The scientists shared new research results and various insights on the following topics: impacts of human activity on estuaries and coasts; sediment transportation and saltwater intrusion; the dynamics of nutrient and phytoplankton in the estuarine ecosystem, the fate and future of tidal flats in estuaries, and assessment proxies and models of coastal vulnerability. Potential collaborative research projects, professional training and academic exchange were also discussed during the workshop.

NIO and ECNU officially signed the cooperation memorandum in 2012 after series of academic exchange from 2011 to 2012. Both sides plan to apply for joint projects on estuarine and coastal studies to effectuate cooperation.