Bringing a Touch of Blue in Our Education Systems: what Can Help?

Abstract Book of the 10th International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2025

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Bringing a Touch of Blue in Our Education Systems: what Can Help?

Pierre Strosser, Paul Trautendorfer (Jpi Oceans/soa Austria), Anna Hollerer (Fachhochschule Kärnten), Sabine M. Probst Saavedra (Seenblue), Peder Hill (Kids Save Ocean), Helena Silberhumer (Restoreseas), Molly Wingate (Acteon/bluelights), Noa Feldkamp Boersch (Acteon/bluelights), Manon Berge (Acteon/bluelights)

ABSTRACT:

Much attention is given to (environmental) sustainability in formal and informal education in European Member States (MS) today, with different approaches chosen reflecting differences in socio-ecological-cultural contexts as well as in education systems, governance and policies. What the concept of sustainability encompasses has been, and is still, evolving, as new societal challenges emerge getting political and media attention: from the protection of species or reducing pollution to embracing waste (plastics) or addressing climate change. More recently, ocean sustainability within a source-to-sea perspective has emerged as a new societal challenge reflecting in particular: the current state of degradation of many marine ecosystems; the importance of the ocean in the climate debate; opportunities offered for, and ecological challenges related to, so-called blue sector developments; the attention to the ocean in policy and political fora as illustrated by the adoption of the European Ocean Pact in May 2025 or the United Nation Ocean Conference (UNOC) organized in Nice in June 2025.
The paper investigates how this blue (rivers and the ocean) challenge is considered and addressed today in our education systems. It discusses opportunities to be seized, as well as conditions to set, for strengthening the attention given to the blue in European education systems. It focuses inter alia on: education strategies and principles (e.g. the role of open schooling, project-based education, interdisciplinary or inclusivity); the curricula and the opportunities it offers; the diversification of methods including (emotionally-relevant) storytelling and narrative-driven educational media; teachers’ professional development; (access to) knowledge and resources including inclusive learning material; governance and interfaces with knowledge providers and local communities; or the setting up of dedicated blue education labels. It also discusses: key river-to-ocean knowledge areas that can empower young people to act; existing outlets for blue learning; the potential for AI to create high-quality teaching resources; and renewing indicators to measure impact and identify blockages.
It illustrates the current state of play, challenges and initiatives taken in three countries: Portugal, a country with a strong marine culture; France that combines coastal and inland territories connected via large rivers to different seas; and, Austria, a landlocked country (hosting the ELTC 2025 conference) crossed by an iconic river, the Danube, that is hosting many initiatives aimed at reducing anthropic pressures on river ecosystems and is discovering its many connections to the ocean.
Finally, it proposes recommendations for mainstreaming the blue into education systems, setting synergies between education frameworks and communities addressing sustainability (sustainable, green, climate) and beyond (citizenship, media…) that are sharing many common principles and interests. This will help equipping children and youth with adequate knowledge, skills and competencies for addressing today’s and future river and ocean societal challenges.

Keywords: Ocean & River Sustainability, Education System, Transformation, Austria, France, Portugal