“To enhance Blue Education in Croatia, stronger connections should be established between formal and non-for-mal education initiatives. Additionally, opportunities should be created for teachers for lifelong learning and training.”
Melita Mokos, Marine biologist at University of Zadar, responsible for the experimentation in Croatia.
What is the current status of Blue Education in Croatia
In Croatia, school curricula currently lack Blue education components, and there are very few opportunities for both in-service and pre-ser- vice teachers to receive training in marine and freshwater topics. However, many non-formal Blue education initiatives are offered by NGOs, marine protected areas (MPAs), research insti- tutions, universities, and aquariums. Those are poorly connected to the formal education sys- tem and to each other. Despite this, they pro- vide valuable opportunities to bring Blue edu- cation into the school system.
What are the BlueLightS experimentation activities Croatia
The objectives are to establish a baseline for Blue education in Croatia, increase opportuni- ties for teachers to engage in blue education and enable communication between key stake- holders related to Blue education. To achieve this, we will:
- Map existing Blue Education initiatives in both formal and non-formal education and explore ways to connect them;
- Organize a panel discussion with and for education stakeholders;
- Develop educational materials in Croatian for teachers and educators;
- Create a teacher training program, ultimately leading to certification.
A few words about BlueLightS’ experimentation
BlueLightS’ experimentation aims to (1) elevate Blue education to the next level in each country; (2) integrate Blue Education into national education systems
The experimentation runs across nine EU countries from December 2024 to October 2026
