Connecting classrooms with the ocean: The impact of the Network of European Blue Schools 

• February 24, 2025

Author: Meri Turó Silanes, ICM CSIC. Biologist and Journalist. ProBleu Communication Officer.  

Knowledge, love, protection, and commitment are the pillars and the power of education. The ocean is essential to life on Earth, yet its ecosystems face growing challenges from climate change, pollution, and human activity. Connecting citizens from a young age to freshwater and marine ecosystems is key to fostering responsible interactions.  

The Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS) links students and teachers to these vital topics, promoting learning that inspires understanding and action. Through the PHAROS project, efforts are underway to expand this network, especially in countries where these schools are underrepresented. By promoting this initiative, PHAROS aims to support educators in preparing students to engage with ocean conservation and sustainability. 

What exactly is a Blue School? 

A European Blue School brings the ocean into the classroom. It’s a school that, through project-based learning, engages students with water, marine- and maritime-related topics to create awareness and a feeling of responsibility for our ocean. 

The main principles of a Blue School are: 

• Education through action: Incorporating hands-on activities like beach cleanups and marine biodiversity monitoring, learning by doing! 

• Community engagement: Encouraging collaboration between schools, local organisations, and marine researchers is impactful and allows learning and contributing simultaneously.  

• Global awareness: Aligning with EU and UN sustainability goals, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14: Life Below Water). 

The Network of European Blue Schools is part of the EU4Ocean Coalition of Ocean Literacy, an initiative funded by the European Commission, DG MARE that connects diverse organisations, projects and people contributing to ocean literacy and the sustainable management of the ocean. 

Expanding the European Blue School Network 

Established in 2020 with 40 schools from 13 countries, the Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS), experienced an impressive growth to 513 schools (406 EU, 107 non-EU) from 31 countries (22 EU, 9 non-EU). 79 658 students were reached in those 513 schools. Looking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, these numbers are expected to rise even further, driven by targeted efforts to reach underrepresented areas. 

Three key EU Mission Ocean and Waters projects—ProBleu, SHORE, and BlueLights—are set to play an important role in this expansion. These initiatives will support schools by offering expert guidance, funding opportunities, and innovative educational resources.  

ProBleu, in particular, emphasises citizen science projects as a way to bring ocean-related themes into classrooms. It also promotes using the MINKA citizen science platform in schools, allowing students and teachers to actively engage with marine and freshwater topics through real-world data collection and analysis. 

Despite the network’s growth, there remains a geographic bias, with a significant concentration of Blue Schools in the Mediterranean region. By focusing on underrepresented areas such as the Arctic and the Atlantic Outermost Regions (AOM), PHAROS aims to ensure that the benefits of the network reach a broader and more diverse audience.  

Little waves make a big ocean: Mallorca Blue Schools Success Story 

The Som Escoles Blaves (We are Blue Schools!)  initiative from Mallorca, Spain, is a prime example of how local efforts can create lasting impacts on ocean literacy and sustainability. Selected the best project by WestMed as the best project among 62 applications for its innovation, sustainability, and replicability, it has become a leading initiative certifying Blue Schools in the Mediterranean. 

The project, born in 2020, aimed to certify 100 schools across Mallorca—out of the island’s 300 total schools—as Blue Schools. It involves local businesses, NGOs, municipalities, and media outlets to foster a community-wide commitment to marine sustainability. As of the 2022-2023 school year, over 50 schools are actively engaged in ocean-related projects. 

Som Escoles Blaves project activities CC Som Escoles Blaves 

Today, Som Escoles Blaves initiative represents more than 90 schools in the island. Their initiatives range from studying Posidonia seagrass and ocean currents in the classroom to hands-on citizen science activities like microplastic beach cleanups. Students also learn about sustainable maritime practices and explore their local ports, connecting their education to real-world applications. 

“To successfully engage schools and encourage them to become Blue Schools, a bottom-up approach is essential. It’s about empowering teachers, students, and local communities to take ownership of the process, fostering a shared commitment to ocean literacy and sustainable practices”
– Christian Esteva, teacher and Som Escoles Blaves coordinator. 

Local partners, including eco-friendly aquatic sports companies, marine research centers, NGOs, and hotel chains committed to circular economy principles, provide diverse resources and expert guidance. These partnerships help schools enhance and diversify their ocean literacy activities. 

The experience in Mallorca is highly replicable in other parts of the world, demonstrating the importance of local engagement and the power of cooperation among schools within the same region. 

About ProBleu projects: “It completely shifted how our students see themselves and their peers” 

ProBleu project has funded and supported joining the NEBS until the present, more than 40 schools, and some testimonials are very inspiring. The Refuxios project at IES Lagoa de Antela (Spain) has transformed a former lagoon area into a biodiversity pond, creating a hands-on learning opportunity for students. 

By combining subjects like history, art, biology, and mathematics, the project has reshaped how students perceive ecosystems—and each other. “When we had to measure, dig, and lay materials, students who don’t usually shine in class showed incredible skills, while others faced new challenges. It completely changed the group dynamic, how they see themselves and their peers,” said Lucía, a teacher leading the project. The initiative also connected students with a coastal Blue School, fostering collaboration and lasting friendships while deepening their commitment to protecting blue ecosystems. 

At École Montessori Les Mimosas in France, primary school students embarked on a project to study local seaweeds and their uses. Despite a modest budget, the school developed innovative pedagogical materials to teach ocean literacy and integrate these lessons into hands-on activities. From understanding the ecological importance of seaweeds to exploring their applications in food and sustainability, the project immersed young learners in real-world marine science. 

École Montessori Les Mimosas Blue School Activites, CC ProBleu 

“We believe this project will significantly impact our students, allowing them to better understand the marine environment around them,” shared Marie Eschenbrenner, the project’s teacher. This initiative highlights how even small-scale efforts can spark curiosity and inspire action, setting an example for other schools with limited resources. 

ProBleu funded schools are sharing their educational resources in the Resource Catalogue. The ProBleu Resource Catalogue offers a wealth of teaching aids to support schools in enhancing water and ocean literacy. These resources can help schools meet the criteria for Blue School certification, providing practical tools and ideas to integrate sustainability into their educational activities. 

All schools across Europe already working on innovative water or ocean literacy projects can consider applying for Blue School certification on its website. Joining the Network of European Blue Schools provides recognition, connects teachers with a vibrant community, and amplifies the impact of this vital global initiative. 

Author: Meri Turó Silanes, ICM CSIC. Biologist and Journalist. ProBleu Communication Officer.  

For this post, I have collaborated with Dominka Wojcieszek from the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) and the Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS), as well as Christian Esteva from We are Blue Schools_Som Escoles Blaves. Thank you both!