Participatory marine
science in school,
for the Ocean we want!

If you'd like to explore more theory and practical advice on turning students into citizen scientists, take a look at this book chapter, developed by the European Citizen Science Association working group on citizen science in schools and education:
Turning Students into Citizen Scientists, Harlin et al, 2018
This chapter explores citizen science in schools. It highlights key learnings from the scientific literature, then explores a large teacher-developed citizen science project at the Leysin American School in Switzerland called LETS (Local Elevation Transect Survey). It includes the voices of students who participated in the LETS project. Finally, it shares ideas on how to integrate citizen science into teaching at schools. The conclusion discusses connections to the Ten Principles of Citizen Science.

From 16 to 18 April 2026, eTwinning headteachers and school leaders will gather in Thessaloniki, Greece, to explore how to translate European priorities on basic skills into effective school-level practice. The event, Future-ready schools: developing school leadership, will bring together educators from across Europe for three days of shared practice, hands-on workshops and collaborative design.

Highlights from the agenda include:
- a keynote speech by Nikolaos Fachantidis (University of Macedonia) on how school leaders can embed inclusive technological design, for example by using a social assistive robot, to strengthen communication, participation and foundational skills among learners with special educational needs
- a keynote speech by Rose Anne Camilleri (eTwinning national coordinator, Malta) on how participation in eTwinning brings meaningful change to classroom practice, supporting digital competence, intercultural awareness and inclusion through collaboration
- a panel discussion on what works for inclusion in diverse classrooms
practical sessions on pupil participation and building your school’s digital capacity, hands-on workshops on topics such as transforming school culture with eTwinning, turning collective reflection into action and boosting your school’s digital capacity with SELFIE tools, and increasing opportunities for inclusive education.

The plenary sessions on 16 and 18 April will be live-streamed. No registration required. Watch the sessions directly here: https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en...esep-newsletter
Thursday 16 April, 13.00-15.45 CEST
Saturday 18 April, 09.00-11.50 CEST

EU4Algae, a European Commission DG Mare flagship algae project, in collaboration with The Network of European Blue Schools, invites schools from EU Member States to participate in a co-creation programme aimed at developing and testing the EU4Algae Schools Toolkit, to be deployed across Europe in 2026.

Selected schools will work with the EU4Algae team to co-design, test and validate educational materials that introduce children aged 3 to 15 to algae through science, environmental education, art and food-related activities.

All you need to do is fill out the short application form before 16.3.2026, and hopefully get selected!

GOOGLE Algae4Schools programme TO APPLY, NOW!

Good luck!

News from EMSEA, the Marine Science Educator's Association

Are you a teacher who has developed an ocean- or water-related project with your students, or do you know a teacher or school that has? 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫🌊 Then this information is for you!

We’re launching the first call for the Network of European Blue Schools of 2026! 🐙💙

How to apply?
1️⃣ Visit the link or google 👉 Become a European Blue School
2️⃣ Fill in the online form describing the ocean- or water-related project you’ve completed or are currently working on with your students.
3️⃣ Wait for the results, which will be announced at the beginning of next month.
4️⃣ Celebrate becoming a member of the Network of European Blue Schools 🎉🌊

Join the network of #EUBlueSchools and be part of a growing community dedicated to fostering #OceanLiteracy 📚🐠.

✨ By joining, you’ll gain access to:
📚 Educational resources
📅 Exclusive events
🤝 Partnership opportunities

📅 Applications are open from 13 January to 30 May — don’t miss your chance to make your school part of the blue movement! 💙🌍