ProBleu is a European initiative aimed at helping schools connect students with the themes of oceans, rivers, and lakes through hands-on projects and citizen science. From 2023 to 2025, ProBleu has launched four funding calls in alignment with the EU Mission “Restore our Oceans and Waters.” These calls have provided schools with the opportunity to design impactful, curriculum-linked water-literacy activities and become part of the growing Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS).
To date, ProBleu has funded 111 projects across 44 countries, mobilized over 6,000 students, and created more than 100 new Blue Schools. These projects have enabled students to link their learning with real-world action, helping to foster sustainability mindsets and empower the younger generation to care for their local waters and the ocean.
The NEBS, an initiative supported by the European Commission through DG MARE and developed by the EU4Ocean partners, recognizes schools that “Find the Blue” by running student-led projects. Schools of all types, whether coastal or inland, public or private, are encouraged to apply and join this growing peer-to-peer community. This initiative provides a space for schools to share ideas, collaborate, and become part of a larger movement aimed at ocean literacy and sustainability.
To support educators in this journey, ProBleu has curated a multilingual catalog of teaching resources that make it easier to embed water literacy into school curricula. Many of these resources are created by teachers themselves, while others are developed by respected scientific institutions like Plymouth Marine Lab and the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC). These tools help schools design high-quality projects and prepare strong applications to become part of NEBS.
Becoming a European Blue School is simple. Schools must submit a short project description that demonstrates how they interlink activities, produce clear outcomes, involve all students, collaborate with local partners, and communicate their results. Schools that have received ProBleu funding are automatically accredited as Blue Schools once their project is completed.
Applications for NEBS are reviewed twice a year, with the autumn round for 2025 running from 25 September to 31 October, and the spring round taking place from 15 January to 31 May, with reviews conducted in June. This gives schools multiple opportunities to join the network and contribute to the growing community of ocean-minded learners.
We encourage you to join NEBS and help build a Europe-wide community of students who are passionate about protecting our waters. Together, we can inspire the next generation to care for the oceans, rivers, and lakes that sustain us. For more information or to apply, visit the ProBleu website and take the first step toward becoming a European Blue School today.
