The University of Malta is organising the next European ocean literacy conference, known as the EMSEA conference, in October 2017, in Valletta, the capital city of Malta, an UNESCO World Heritage Site which will assume the role of European Capital of Culture in 2018.

The EMSEA 17 conference, which will be opened by EU Commissioner Karmenu Vella is being held at the Valletta campus of the University of Malta, on the 9th and 10th of October 2017, whilst a teachers’ seminar is being held on the 7th October at the Malta National Aquarium. The conference themes include ‘The digital age of ocean literacy’, ‘Future scenarios and role for ocean literacy’, ‘Oceans and Human Health’ and ‘The promotion of a further penetration of ocean literacy within school curricula,’ besides an open session.

Abstract submission (deadline: 15th June) and registration for the conference are already possible through the conference website. The conference email address for any queries is the following: emsea2017@um.edu.mt. Besides the academic programme, an exciting social programme is being planned besides a suite of captivating keynote speakers.

EMSEA is the European Marine Science Educators Association which focuses on promoting a greater awareness of the ocean/sea and the role it plays in human lives as laid down in the seven principles of ocean literacy (http://oceanliteracy.wp2.coexploration.org/). EMSEA, a registered non-profit organisation acting as a platform for ocean education, was founded by three leading marine science institutions in Europe – VLIZ (Bruges, Belgium), University of Gothenburg (Sweden) and the Plymouth Marine Station (UK) – on the footsteps of the corresponding organisation in the US – NMEA – which was founded in the 1970s. An EMSEA-MED group has also recently been formed within the structure of EMSEA. EMSEA holds an annual conference to bring together ocean literacy practitioners from all around Europe and one of the long-term goals of this movement is the formulation of accredited educational material on ocean literacy which can be incorporated within school curricula across Europe.

Visit the Conference website for more info!