From 15 to 20 September 2025, the Blue Ocean partnership visited Geniko Lykeio Siteias in Crete, Greece, for an international learning experience focused on blue careers, marine science and the educational value of the marine environment.
Sitia provides an ideal setting for Blue Ocean activities because of its strong connection to the sea and its position in a Mediterranean island environment. The visit allowed participants to explore how marine-related knowledge connects to education and career development.
A key part of the visit was the opportunity to learn about marine biology. Marine biology clearly shows how scientific subjects studied at school can lead to specialised professional pathways. Students interested in living organisms, ecosystems, and environmental protection can apply their knowledge in research, conservation, monitoring, education, and other areas.
The visit to marine biology facilities and aquariums added a practical dimension to the experience. Seeing marine organisms and learning about their environments can make concepts such as biodiversity, ecosystems and conservation more tangible. For teachers, these experiences can also spark ideas for activities that go beyond the traditional classroom.
Aquariums can play an important educational role when used to encourage understanding of marine ecosystems and responsible stewardship. They provide opportunities to discuss species, habitats, food chains, human impacts and conservation. They can also help students understand why scientific research is important for protecting marine environments.
The Sitia visit also reinforced the relationship between blue careers and STEM subjects. Marine science requires knowledge of biology and chemistry, while monitoring and research increasingly involve digital technologies, data analysis, instrumentation and mathematics. This interdisciplinary nature is an important message for students who may not realise that a career connected to the sea can involve several different school subjects.
International visits also allow educators to compare local challenges. Malta, Greece, Italy, and French Polynesia all have strong connections with the sea, but their environmental, economic, and educational contexts differ. Discussing these differences can help teachers identify practices they could adapt to their own schools.
For the Blue Ocean partnership, the visit to Sitia was therefore both educational and collaborative. It provided opportunities to share ideas, strengthen the partnership, and explore ways to help students become more aware of marine science and blue careers.
The experience also supports the wider goal of making ocean literacy part of school education. Students do not need to become marine scientists to benefit from understanding the ocean. Ocean literacy can contribute to informed citizenship, environmental responsibility and a stronger appreciation of the relationship between human communities and marine ecosystems.
The Sitia visit demonstrated that international cooperation can turn these ideas into practical learning experiences. By combining school visits, marine biology, aquariums, professional learning and cultural exchange, Blue Ocean continues to build links between education and the blue economy.
For teachers and students alike, the message is clear: the ocean can be a classroom, a laboratory and a source of future opportunities.
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