The EU-funded project leaves a legacy of educational resources, teacher networks and tools to strengthen water and ocean literacy within the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters
After three years of work, the ProBleu project has officially come to an end, leaving behind a network of schools, educators and organisations committed to improving water and ocean literacy across Europe. Funded under the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, ProBleu supported schools in developing hands-on learning experiences that connected students with local water and marine challenges while contributing to broader environmental goals.
Between June 2023 and May 2026, ProBleu funded 111 Blue School projects through four competitive calls, reaching schools in 44 European Union and associated countries. The projects addressed a wide range of topics, including freshwater conservation, marine biodiversity, pollution, citizen science and climate change, helping students explore environmental issues through practical activities and community engagement.
One of the project’s main outcomes is the ProBleu Catalogue of Teaching Aids, an open-access platform that will remain available for at least seven years after the project’s completion. The catalogue provides educational materials for teachers and schools, including lesson plans, worksheets, presentations, ecosystem models and science stories, all accessible in the 24 official languages of the European Union through automatic translation.
ProBleu also developed tools to help schools assess and strengthen ocean and water literacy. Through surveys conducted in 97 schools and involving more than 5,300 student responses, the project generated evidence on how educational interventions can influence knowledge, awareness, attitudes and behaviours related to water and ocean stewardship.
The project invested strongly in community building. More than 30 language ambassadors helped disseminate opportunities and resources in their national contexts, while schools increasingly became active communicators of their own projects. By the end of the initiative, most of the content shared through ProBleu communication channels was generated directly by participating schools and communities.
Collaboration with other Mission Ocean projects was another important aspect of ProBleu. The consortium worked closely with sister projects SHORE and BlueLights to develop joint communication activities, share educational resources and increase the visibility of ocean literacy initiatives across Europe. ProBleu also established links with the PHAROS project, creating opportunities to connect schools and citizen science activities through the MINKA Citizen Science Platform and extending the impact of project outcomes beyond its formal duration.
Although ProBleu has now concluded, many of its resources and networks will continue. The project website will remain online for the next five years, while partners are exploring new collaborations and initiatives, including the development of a European Blue Week for Schools. These efforts aim to build on the foundations created by ProBleu and continue supporting the objectives of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters.
About ProBleu
ProBleu was a European Union-funded project that ran from June 2023 to May 2026. The project supported the development of Blue Schools across Europe by providing funding, educational resources, training opportunities and networking activities to promote water and ocean literacy in school communities. It contributed to the objectives of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters and worked in collaboration with other Mission-funded projects to strengthen environmental education and engagement across Europe.
Funded by the European Union