Between 28 April and 3 May 2025, the Blue Ocean partnership came together at Lycée Diadème – Te Tara O Mai’ao in French Polynesia for an important teacher training and school visit. The activity formed part of Work Package 2 (WP2), which focuses on strengthening teachers’ knowledge and competences so that they can better motivate students towards blue careers.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity for European partners to learn from the French Polynesian context. Tahiti and the wider Pacific region have an exceptionally strong relationship with the ocean, and the marine environment is closely connected to culture, identity, biodiversity and everyday life. This made the location particularly appropriate for a training programme centred on ocean literacy and blue careers.
The programme addressed a range of topics designed to help teachers bring the blue economy into the classroom. The importance of blue careers was a central theme. Participants explored the diversity of ocean-related occupations and considered ways schools can help students recognise these opportunities.
Another key focus was ecological conservation and protecting marine species. Understanding the pressures faced by marine ecosystems can help students see why scientific knowledge, technology, and responsible human activity matter. Conservation therefore becomes not only an environmental topic but also a potential source of learning and future careers.
The training also highlighted educators’ role in motivating young people. Teachers can help students understand that marine challenges require many different forms of expertise. A student interested in science might consider marine biology, while another interested in technology could explore engineering or ocean-monitoring systems. Others may be attracted to maritime operations, environmental education, tourism or sustainable food production.
The international dimension of the training was particularly significant. Teachers from different countries could compare their experiences and discuss how blue education can be adapted to different school contexts. Although the partner regions differ considerably, many of the educational questions are shared: How can students become more aware of marine careers? How can schools make STEM subjects more relevant? How can young people understand the importance of protecting marine ecosystems?
The visit also strengthened the personal relationships between project partners. International projects depend on effective communication and collaboration, and face-to-face meetings provide opportunities to develop trust, exchange ideas and plan future activities.
For Gozo College, participation in the training provided an opportunity to bring new perspectives back to Malta. The knowledge gained through international cooperation can be adapted to the local context, where the sea also plays an important economic, cultural and environmental role.
The French Polynesian training demonstrates one of the key principles of Blue Ocean: learning does not only move from teachers to students. Partner schools can learn from one another, and local knowledge can contribute to a shared European and Pacific educational approach.
The experience at Lycée Diadème therefore represented more than a training week. It was an opportunity to connect professional development, ocean conservation, career education and international cooperation. It helped strengthen the foundations for the subsequent development and implementation of Blue Ocean resources and activities.