uBlueTec is a pioneering European initiative funded under the EMFAF-2023-BlueCareers programme, designed to reshape the landscape of education and professional development in the blue economy. By integrating underwater technologies (UW-tecs), green skills, and digital competencies, the project aims to equip students, researchers, and professionals with the tools needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving maritime sector.
A Strategic Training Framework for the Triple Transition
Launched in September 2023 and running until February 2026, uBlueTec brings together a diverse consortium of universities, vocational education providers, SMEs, clusters, and NGOs. The project’s core mission is to develop and validate a comprehensive training model that supports the green, blue, and digital transitions through:
- Innovative curriculum development
- Hands-on fieldwork and practical training
- Cross-border mobility and secondments
- Inclusive educational outreach
Key Achievements and Activities
Over the course of two years, uBlueTec has delivered 37 piloting activities across Europe, engaging more than 1 050 participants from various academic and professional backgrounds.
Each pilot was designed to test and refine educational materials, ensuring alignment with market needs and technological advancements.
Flagship Piloting: Aigina 2024
One of the most impactful training events took place in Aigina, Greece, where participants engaged in a week-long intensive program focused on coastal and underwater archaeology. Delivered by AMU, UNICAL, UZG, WWF Portugal, and MareFVG, the training combined:
- Fieldwork using ROVs, ASVs, and underwater tablets
- Digital courses on data processing with QGIS and Metashape
- Green skills modules on nature-based solutions and sustainability
- Multilingual instruction (English, French, Arabic)
The program fostered international collaboration, with participants from Algeria, Argentina, Greece, Spain, Belgium, and France.
Breaking the Surface 2024 (Croatia)
This international workshop on maritime robotics brought together nearly 200 participants. It featured lectures, hands-on tutorials, and an acoustic localization challenge. The event showcased cutting-edge research and fostered networking among experts in marine robotics, biology, and archaeology.
WWF Portugal’s Green Skills Pilots
WWF Portugal led impactful training sessions at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, focusing on:
- Ecosystem services and biodiversity
- Active citizenship and stakeholder engagement
- Project design using Theory of Change and SMART goals
These pilots laid the groundwork for a future MOOC and emphasized the integration of sustainability into underwater technologies.
Mobility and Secondments
uBlueTec facilitated several mobility actions to enhance knowledge exchange:
- PhD students from UNICAL and UZG participated in the Aigina fieldwork
- AMU researchers joined BTS2024 and WWF Portugal’s training sessions
- Cross-institutional collaboration strengthened pedagogical and technical capacities
Evaluation and Feedback
All activities were evaluated using a standardized form available in English, French, and Italian. Key findings include:
- High satisfaction rates (average scores above 4.5/5)
- Strong relevance to professional development
- Interest in future upskilling and reskilling opportunities
Participants highlighted the value of hands-on experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and exposure to advanced technologies.
Impact and Future Outlook
uBlueTec is not just a training project: it is a catalyst for systemic change in how blue careers are developed and supported. By bridging scientific research, technological innovation, and heritage conservation, the project:
- Enhances employability in maritime sectors
- Promotes sustainable practices
- Strengthens Europe’s capacity to manage marine resources responsibly
As the project moves into its final phase, the educational materials and methodologies tested will be integrated into the uBlueTec Hub, ensuring long-term impact and accessibility.
Overview of Piloting Activities
➡️uBlueTec piloting program Aigina 2024 in Coastal and Underwater Archaeology
Lead: AMU | Partners: UNICAL, UZG, WWF PT, MareFVG
📅 22–30 June 2024 | 📍 Aigina, Greece | 👥 17 participants
Week-long fieldwork combining underwater documentation, digital mapping, and green skills modules.
➡️Coastal Geomorphology Workshop
Lead: AMU
📅 17–21 June 2024 | 📍 Dinard, France | 👥 9 participants
Summer school on coastal geomorphology, marine biology, and vulnerability analysis.
➡️Coastal erosion, landscape analysis and GIS
Lead: AMU
📅 2 September 2024 | 📍 Aix-en-Provence, France | 👥 20 participants
One-day course blending theory and fieldwork on erosion processes and GIS risk mapping.
➡️CIVIS BIP – Natural Processes and Climate Risks (NatRisks)
Lead: AMU
📅 2 April 2024 | 📍 Online | 👥 10 participants
Blended program on volcanic hazards, climate variability, and geohazards in the Eastern Mediterranean.
➡️Marine and Coastal Geomorphology
Lead: AMU
📅 18 October 2024 | 📍 Côte Bleue, France | 👥 44 participants
Field course on coastal landforms and sea-level indicators through snorkeling and observation.
➡️Marine Protected Areas – Legislation and Current Issues
Lead: AMU
📅 6 November 2024 | 📍 Aix-en-Provence, France | 👥 20 participants
Lecture on legal frameworks, ecological importance, and adaptive management strategies for MPAs.
➡️Harbour Archaeology and UW Documentation Techniques
Lead: AMU
📅 8 November 2024 | 📍 Aix-en-Provence, France | 👥 19 participants
Introduction to maritime archaeology, site formation processes, and underwater documentation tools.
➡️Impacts of Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
Lead: AMU
📅 26 November 2024 | 📍 Aix-en-Provence, France | 👥 27 participants
Course on climate-driven threats to coastal and underwater cultural heritage.
➡️Coastal Geomorphology & Marine Protected Areas
Lead: AMU
📅 30 November 2024 | 📍 Parc National des Calanques, France | 👥 147 participants
Large-scale field course aboard a vessel combining geomorphology and MPA governance.
➡️Underwater Survey and Excavation Techniques
Lead: AMU
📅 July 2024 | 📍 Aigina, Greece | 👥 13 participants
Four-week intensive training on underwater excavation and 3D documentation.
➡️Multibeam Sonar Survey and Seafloor Mapping – Aigina 2025
Lead: AMU
📅 24–28 June 2025 | 📍 Aigina, Greece | 👥 3 participants
Hands-on training in acoustic mapping and multibeam sonar data processing.
➡️Coastal and Marine Conservation Principles and Policies
Lead: AMU
📅 Oct–Dec 2024 | 📍 Aix-Marseille University | 👥 6 participants
Course on governance diversity, effectiveness of MPAs, and participatory conservation policies.
➡️Coastal and Marine Area Management
Lead: AMU
📅 Oct–Dec 2024 | 📍 Aix-Marseille University | 👥 6 participants
Focus on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and stakeholder roles in sustainable planning.
➡️How to Manage a Marine Protected Area? Stakeholders and Challenges
Lead: AMU
📅 11 March 2025 | 📍 Aix-Marseille University | 👥 15 participants
Interdisciplinary lesson on global MPA management methods and social acceptance challenges.
➡️Mooring of Recreational Boats and Pressures on Marine and Coastal Environments
Lead: AMU
📅 4 April 2025 | 📍 Aix-Marseille University | 👥 6 participants
Analysis of environmental impacts of mooring and planning solutions for sustainable boating.
➡️Marine Protected Areas – Summer School
Lead: AMU
📅 9–23 June 2024 | 📍 Aix-Marseille University | 👥 35 participants
Summer school on biodiversity loss, MPA governance, and socio-ecosystem approaches with field trips.
➡️Breaking the Surface (BTS 2024)
Lead: UZG
📅 29 Sept–6 Oct 2024 | 📍 Biograd na Moru, Croatia | 👥 198 participants
International workshop on maritime robotics, underwater archaeology, and interdisciplinary demos.
➡️Marine Robotics
Lead: UZG
📅 March–July 2025 | 📍 Zagreb, Croatia | 👥 22 participants
Course on navigation, guidance, and control of autonomous marine vessels with lab exercises.
➡️Marine Systems and Technologies – Selected Topics
Lead: UZG
📅 March–July 2025 | 📍 Zagreb, Croatia | 👥 1 participant
Seminar on advanced maritime robotics applications, sonar processing, and cooperative control.
➡️Regulation of Autonomous Systems
Lead: UZG
📅 March–July 2025 | 📍 Zagreb, Croatia | 👥 55 participants
Course on regulatory frameworks for robotics and AI, including maritime applications.
➡️3D Survey and Graphic Documentation for Restoration
Lead: UNICAL
📅 Sept–Dec 2024 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 5 participants
Hands-on course on photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and digital documentation for cultural heritage.
➡️Analysis of the Degradation of Cultural Heritage
Lead: UNICAL
📅 Sept 2024–Jan 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 6 participants
Training on diagnostic methods and classification of stone material decay in terrestrial and underwater contexts.
➡️Protective Treatment of Stone Materials
Lead: UNICAL
📅 Sept 2024–Jan 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 3 participants
Course on protective and consolidating treatments for stone materials, including eco-friendly solutions.
➡️Analytical Techniques for Environmental Sustainability
Lead: UNICAL
📅 Sept 2024–Jan 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 11 participants
Focus on pollutant detection and analytical methods for environmental monitoring aligned with UN SDGs.
➡️Digital Technologies for Underwater Cultural Heritage Surveying
Lead: UNICAL
📅 13–19 May 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 6 participants
PhD-level course on seabed mapping, optical/acoustic data integration, and digital workflows.
➡️Photogrammetric Techniques for Terrestrial and Underwater Cultural Heritage
Lead: UNICAL
📅 23–26 May 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 6 participants
PhD-level course on photogrammetry for 3D documentation of terrestrial and underwater heritage.
➡️Extended Reality Techniques for Dissemination of Cultural Heritage
Lead: UNICAL
📅 3–5 June 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 6 participants
Training on VR, AR, and MR applications for underwater cultural heritage communication.
➡️Digital System for Remote Environmental Monitoring
Lead: UNICAL
📅 24–25 July 2025 | 📍 Rende, Italy | 👥 12 participants
Course on remote-control systems, ROV operation, and sensor data processing for marine monitoring.
➡️Advanced Aquaculture Management with Intelligent Predictive Maintenance
Lead: BEIA
📅 28 August 2024 | 📍 Bucharest, Romania | 👥 20 participants
Training on IoT and AI-driven predictive maintenance for sustainable aquaculture practices.
➡️Digital Solutions for Mission Planning and Simulation of Autonomous Marine Vehicles
Lead: BEIA
📅 29 August 2024 | 📍 Bucharest & Online | 👥 18 participants
Hands-on labs on multi-vehicle mission planning and simulation using vendor-neutral platforms.
➡️AI, Unmanned Surface Vehicle, Underwater Sensing, Water Pollution
Lead: BEIA
📅 30 August 2024 | 📍 Bucharest, Romania | 👥 18 participants
Course on AI-powered USVs for water quality monitoring and pollution detection.
➡️Green Skills
Lead: WWF Portugal
📅 11 March, 1 April, 29 April 2025 | 📍 Lisbon, Portugal | 👥 39 participants
Pilot course on ecosystem services, NbS, and project design methodologies for sustainability.
➡️Nature-Based Solutions
Lead: WWF Portugal
📅 18–19 November 2024 | 📍 Aix-en-Provence, France | 👥 24 participants
Sessions on integrating sustainability principles and NbS into underwater technologies.
➡️How Can Nature Conservation Mitigate Marine Environmental Challenges?
Lead: mareFVG
📅 8 May 2024 | 📍 Trieste, Italy | 👥 11 participants
Workshop on marine conservation strategies and citizen science during mareinfvg Festival.
➡️Let’s Go Underwater
Lead: mareFVG
📅 Nov 2024–May 2025 | 📍 Trieste, Italy | 👥 78 participants
Hands-on program for high school students to build and operate marine drones.
➡️Let’s Go Underwater: Marine Robotics in the Hands of Young Talents
Lead: mareFVG
📅 9 May 2025 | 📍 Sea Museum, Trieste | 👥 115 participants
Final competition showcasing student-built autonomous marine drones.
➡️Workshop/Seminar for UCH Promotion, Sustainable Blue Growth and Climate Change
Lead: ATL
📅 27 May 2025 | 📍 Thessaloniki, Greece | 👥 3 participants
Seminar on cultural ecosystem services and climate change impacts on underwater heritage.