Strengthening Education through Collaboration

We were delighted to recently participate in the 10th annual conference of the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) in Batumi, Georgia. This event provided an important opportunity to meet and connect with fellow marine educators and scientists and gain valuable insight into ongoing projects and educational developments throughout Europe.

Delegates received a warm welcome to the 10th annual conference from EMSEA President, Nicola Bridge. Photo © Jennifer Spacagna

The conference featured a diverse array of presentations and workshops, covering a wide range of topics. Attendees received updates on the progress of EU projects, such as BRIDGE-BS and European Blue Schools, and actively contributed their ideas during workshop sessions. Presenters also shared specific examples of their work, such as engaging youth ambassadors, using escape rooms to introduce environmental topics through games, and promoting ocean literacy through the watersports industry. The vast array of inspirational work showcased has provided great insight into ways we can adapt and enhance our own educational output.

Members of the EMSEA Legal Board and Advisory Group worked together to help ensure a successful event for all. Photo © Jennifer Spacagna

Our attendance at this conference, alongside our work with EMSEA on their advisory board, demonstrates our commitment to strengthening educational connections. As we continue to expand our own global educational output, we have actively been establishing working relationships with other educational organisations. Looking ahead, we have ambitious education plans for the coming year, including the assessment and consolidation of our educational efforts across the Manta Trust network of affiliate projects. This assessment will allow us to measure the effectiveness and impact of our education initiatives on a global scale, provide us with valuable data to make informed decisions about how to refine programmes for better outcomes and allow us to allocate resources more effectively.

As we bring together our global educational efforts, we also plan to establish an Education Working Group within the Manta Trust network. This working group will collaborate to develop and implement initiatives that align with our strategic objectives, as well as working together to create a handbook of best practices and resources to be used by projects within the network. The Working Group will be comprised of scientists and educators with diverse backgrounds and knowledge, which will help give a more holistic approach to our education initiatives. By forming this group, we hope to promote a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for education, which will in turn lead to greater commitment to the success of education projects across the network.

Watch this space to see how our educational initiatives develop and expand as these exciting plans get underway.