How can national strategies and policy instruments strengthen the role of river and ocean sustainability in education?
This second workshop in the BlueLightS Blue Education Framework Workshop Series focuses on the role of national strategies, such as education, sustainability, and citizenship strategies, in embedding river and ocean sustainability across all levels of education and disciplines. These strategies may exist as dedicated blue education policies or as part of broader national frameworks supporting sustainable development, citizenship education, and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building on the first elements of the draft BlueLightS Blue Education Framework, this workshop will bring together policymakers, educators, researchers, and civil society actors to exchange experiences and identify practical lessons that can inform and strengthen the framework.
Objectives
The workshop aims to:
- Showcase inspiring examples of national strategies and policy instruments developed and implemented by EU Member States;
- Discuss how national strategies and policies can steer blue education, including the key enabling conditions for success such as governance structures, financing, capacity building, resources, and communication;
- Identify key lessons, gaps, and emerging practices that the BlueLightS Blue Education Framework should take on board to enhance its relevance, impact, and added value.
Programme (10:00–11:30 CET)
10:00-10:15 | Opening & Framing
Welcome and introduction, the objectives of this session, and the “National strategies and instruments” chapter, including the maturity model.
10:15-11:00 | Inspiring national experiences
Short presentations from 4–5 speakers showcasing national strategies and instruments for sustainable and blue education, highlighting maturity levels, enabling conditions, and key challenges, followed by discussion.
- Jan Lundell – LUMA Centre, Finland
The Finnish STEM national strategy: opportunities and challenges - Dr Emma McKinley – Cardiff University, UK
Ocean literacy research, frameworks, strategies, evaluation and impact - Julie Boulet, Ministry of Regional Planning and Ecological Transition, France
National policy perspective on biodiversity education - Dr Stéfan Vincent-Lancrin – OECD, France
Education policy, system innovation, frameworks and governance
11:00-11:25 | Collective discussion & contributions
Interactive participant input via Padlet to critique, complement, and enrich the draft framework, including missing cases, actors, enabling conditions, and resource considerations.
11:25-11:30 | Closing & follow-up
