Skip to main content

BiodivOcean

Empowering educational communities across Europe to explore and protect marine biodiversity through hands-on learning, digital tools, and citizen science

BiodivOcean brings together teachers, students, scientists, and NGOs from different countries to promote ocean literacy, co-create inclusive educational resources, and strengthen the role of marine biodiversity in both formal and non-formal education.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

The project
Work packages
Activities

The project

BiodivOcean is an Erasmus+ project that fosters ocean literacy and awareness of marine biodiversity through innovative education and citizen science. It aims to highlight the importance of marine biodiversity and the threats it faces—such as invasive species and microplastics—within the educational community, by co-creating educational resources and communication strategies.

Building on the legacy of the VIRTUE project, BiodivOcean equips teachers, marine educators and students with tools to explore marine ecosystems and their conservation, combining inclusive hands-on and digital learning in both formal and non-formal settings.

The project uses the phenomenon of colonisation throw the ecological succession as a starting point for learning about the ocean. Through the use of VIRTUE racks, specially designed to observe this process, participants interact directly with marine life, encouraging active learning, critical thinking, and a deeper emotional connection with the ocean.

In addition to using the VIRTUE racks, the project will also offer training for educators and co-develop a wide range of educational materials.

Through collaboration between educational institutions, scientific partners, and conservation organisations across Europe, the project will develop innovative learning resources, such as teaching units, digital tools, and a MOOC, adapted to different ages and learning environments. These materials will be implemented in schools and learning centres to promote experiential learning and citizen participation.

The ultimate goal of BiodivOcean is to build an international network of educators and students engaged in marine conservation, providing accessible and engaging tools to teach about ocean biodiversity and its threats, and inspiring new generations to connect with nature and the marine environment.

Our role

As the leader of WP2 in the BiodivOcean project, SUBMON is responsible for designing and implementing the project’s Communication and Dissemination Strategy. This includes managing the project’s social media channels, developing key messages, and fostering synergies with other initiatives to raise awareness and maximise the project’s visibility and impact across Europe.

Additionally, SUBMON contributes to the development of educational resources and training activities for teachers within Work Package 4. Specifically, we will organise the Teacher Symposium in Barcelona in 2025 and coordinate the development of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to support professional development in marine biodiversity education.

Under Work Package 5, SUBMON is also responsible for outreach and testing activities in Spain, working closely with schools and educators to integrate the project’s tools and methodologies into real classrooms.

Work Packages

The project is divided into the following work packages:

Activities

Teacher symposium

As the first key activity of the BiodivOcean project, the Teachers’ Symposium will bring together educators from across Europe for a three-day event in Barcelona, from June 30 to July 2, 2025. The symposium aims to explore how marine biodiversity and its conservation can be better integrated into the classroom, both in formal and non-formal education settings.

Organised by SUBMON, the event will combine hands-on workshops, co-creation sessions, and expert talks on topics such as ocean literacy, inclusivity, invasive species, microplastics, and citizen science. Participants will collaborate in the development of new educational materials and exchange ideas and strategies to foster ocean literacy in schools. The symposium also serves as a platform to foster connections across borders and enhance the role of educators in raising awareness about the ocean.

Some of the activities will be held in a blue school to learn from firsthand experience how  BiodivOcean resources can be implemented.

Download the full call with details and how to apply here.

Participation is free of charge, and attendees will receive a certificate and access to all co-created resources. A limited number of scholarships will be available to support travel and accommodation costs.

Registrations are closed and scholarships have been already assigned.