Conference Agenda

Ocean literacy refers to an understanding of the dynamic and reciprocal relationship between humans and the ocean (Ocean Literacy Network, 2015). The alarming deterioration of ocean health, driven by human activities, continues to threaten its ecological balance. Addressing these challenges is complex, as it requires consideration of multiple interconnected factors simultaneously (Santoro et al., 2017). It is therefore crucial for the public to understand the underlying causes of ocean-related environmental issues and to recognise practical and effective solutions to mitigate them. However, public understanding of the ocean remains limited, and marine issues often receive less attention than other environmental concerns (Fauville et al., 2019).

The limited inclusion of ocean-related topics in school curricula worldwide is evident, with ocean literacy often remaining optional and inconsistently available to students (Fauville et al., 2019). While young people generally demonstrate interest in and positive attitudes toward the ocean, this enthusiasm is frequently accompanied by low levels of knowledge and, in some cases, misconceptions. Among secondary school students, research indicates varying levels of ocean knowledge, ranging from low to moderate, alongside expressions of concern and positive attitudes toward the marine environment (Kelly et al., 2021; Tsai & Chang, 2019). A major challenge in promoting ocean literacy in education is therefore the need for innovative pedagogical and leadership strategies to equip learners with essential skills and knowledge (Santoro et al., 2017). Additional barriers, such as limited curriculum space and restricted teaching time, often hinder the introduction of new topics. Consequently, ocean literacy initiatives are typically delivered as short-term projects or extracurricular programmes, further limiting their coherent integration into students’ long-term studies.

In England, ocean literacy is not systematically included as a compulsory topic in the national curriculum, nor is it effectively integrated across subjects (Department for Education, 2014; 2015). As a result, contemporary research examining students’ understanding, experiences, and attitudes toward ocean literacy remains limited. Furthermore, the perspectives of teachers and school leaders regarding its inclusion in school practices have not been adequately explored, despite the critical role education plays in shaping students’ attitudes and awareness toward environmental protection and sustainability (Koomen et al., 2018). Considering these aspects, the following four research questions have been developed:

1. What is the level of ocean literacy among Year 10 students (aged 14 to 15) in the UK

2. What experiences, perceptions and attitudes do students have regarding learning about ocean literacy?

3. What opportunities and challenges do teachers and school leaders currently face, or have previously encountered, in promoting ocean literacy in their schools?

This study was informed by Barnett’s (2000) concept of a supercomplex world, characterised by uncertainty, interconnectedness, and the constant need for adaptability. Within this framework, education is understood not only as the transmission of knowledge but as preparation for navigating complexity. In this study, ocean literacy was adopted as a conceptual bridge for responding to these demands, as it encourages systems thinking, environmental awareness, and responsible action. The study design was further guided by the six dimensions of ocean literacy proposed by Brennan et al. (2019), which provided a structured lens for examining leaners’ awareness, knowledge, attitude, behaviour, communication and activism within broader environmental and societal contexts.

The study employed a mixed-methods approach within an English co-educational secondary school to examine ocean literacy from both student and educator perspectives. Overall, the study identifies moderate student ocean literacy, substantial knowledge gaps, limited curricular integration, and strong stakeholder support for experiential, project-based approaches as key findings, highlighting the need for targeted, well-supported, and sustainable ocean literacy education.

In recent years, higher education institutions have increasingly been called upon to undergo profound transformations in response to pressing global challenges. Addressing the planetary and climate emergency, fostering inclusive and diverse learning environments, integrating emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence—into teaching, learning, and assessment processes, and promoting critical dialogue around threats to freedom and social justice have become central concerns within university settings (Pee & Vululleh, 2020; Kinol et al., 2023). These demands require universities not only to adapt structurally but also to rethink their educational purposes and pedagogical approaches.

Since its emergence in the 1970s, Environmental Education, alongside Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), has emphasized the need for educational processes grounded in personal awareness, ethical reflection, and the recognition of otherness. Both approaches advocate for experiential and action-oriented learning pathways that enable a transition from reflection to transformative action. From this perspective, higher education is expected to promote participatory, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary processes that empower learners to engage meaningfully with complex socio-environmental challenges (Andersson et al., 2025).

However, the field of sustainability education is marked by significant epistemic tensions. Concepts such as development and sustainability are not understood or experienced uniformly across contexts. In the Global South, historical inequalities, structural poverty, political and economic colonization, and limited access to quality education shape distinct realities, particularly for rural, Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and vulnerable communities. These disparities challenge universalized narratives of sustainable development and call for context-sensitive educational frameworks.

This study acknowledges the coexistence of multiple conceptual traditions—Environmental Education, ESD, and Education for Sustainability (EfS)—each contributing distinct perspectives. In Colombia, Environmental Education has been strongly shaped by public policy, particularly the National Environmental Education Policy (2003), where sustainable development is framed as one objective among others. At the same time, Colombian higher education engages in an active dialogue with international ESD frameworks, where sustainability competencies have been consolidated as a key theoretical construct with a robust research trajectory (Giannini, 2020; Corres et al., 2020).

Understanding universities as cultural institutions with significant influence on social and political dynamics implies a responsibility to offer education that is conceptually robust, socially relevant, and oriented toward real-world problem solving (Rieckmann, 2018, 2022; Vare et al., 2022). In this context, sustainability competencies are understood as the integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes oriented toward action. Competence implies the ability to apply what one knows and values in order to respond effectively to complex challenges (Martínez et al., 2022). Crossing disciplinary, institutional, and social boundaries has therefore been identified as a critical

This paper shares research on the potential for sustainability leads (SLs) to act as catalysts in achieving a more holistic approach to climate change and sustainability education in schools.

In England, the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy (2023a, 2023b) encourages every school in England to have a sustainability lead (SL). Although this has no statutory force, many schools have now identified someone to act as their SL. Typically, this is someone already working in the school who may or may not be given additional time and/or financial reward for the role. Given the novelty of this role and a lack of current research evidence about its potential and actual impact, we collected data from a group of SLs in primary and secondary schools across two academic years to analyse what inhibiting and enabling factors they encountered and what difference they felt they had made across the period. In our analysis we drew on literature about teacher agency and educational leadership to frame our discussion about the potential space in which SLs can create the conditions for change (Rushton et al, 2025) and cultivate collective action (Finnegan et al, 2025).

Although this paper draws on data collected in England, the findings are of much broader interest as many countries grapple with how to embed the values of sustainability in school operations and curricula. UNESCO has called for “…a new social contract for education, grounded on principles of human rights, social justice, human dignity and cultural diversity” (2025) and Selby & Kagawa (2010) argue that runaway climate change demands a rethinking of educational paradigms and leaders willing to act as bold cultural architects. Stirling’s (2024) argument that a fundamental shift is needed, from the linear, atomised and mechanical thinking that has led us to the environmental crisis towards ‘ecological thinking’, has profound implications for sustainability leadership in school, from headteachers to SLs to the whole school community (Higham et al, 2025). Sukhera et al. (2025) call this latter model ‘distributed leadership’ where sustainability champions emerge across different roles. This model challenges traditional hierarchies and empowers staff to take initiative, fostering a culture of shared responsibility. One of our research questions focused on the potential for SLs to be a catalyst for such a model.

Interestingly, many of the SLs in our study demonstrated characteristics of ecological thinking and are beginning to embrace characteristics of a different paradigm of education which moves away from the neo-liberal norms of competition and accountability measures that dominate across many education systems. This was the first in a series of tensions that the SLs in our study had to navigate, requiring them to balance their idealism with pragmatism but also increasing the potential for disillusionment. Further tensions included the need to appease or persuade senior leaders whilst galvanising the whole staff and the temptation to focus on ‘quick wins’ at the expense of embedded change. Nevertheless, while our research emphasises the challenges of the role, it also highlights its considerable potential as a catalyst for cultural change.