A study from the European project Code BLUE identified that Portugal is among the five countries where skills related to the sustainable blue economy remain only partially integrated into tourism education. The survey, which counts on KIPT CoLAB as the Portuguese partner, also covers Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, and Spain, combining document analysis, surveys, interviews, and contributions from sector entities to assess whether education meets the needs of coastal and maritime destinations.
The national reports reveal a solid foundation in areas such as management, communication, customer service, and sustainability, but point out significant gaps in training related to the blue economy. Among the main shortcomings identified are knowledge of marine ecosystems, climate change adaptation, coastal zone governance, practical skills for sustainable coastal tourism, the use of geographic information systems, and digital tools for destination management.
The research does not advocate creating new higher education courses, but suggests integrating short, flexible, and combinable learning units into existing educational pathways, both in higher education and vocational training, as well as in lifelong learning. Based on the BlueComp, GreenComp, and DigComp frameworks, the project is preparing micro-credentials and interdisciplinary modules adaptable to different educational systems.
The results were discussed and validated at five national meetings, bringing together representatives from tourism, education, businesses, and public institutions. In Portugal, the session focused on the theme "The Blue Economy: Challenges and Opportunities." The project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by Varna University of Management in Bulgaria, is now preparing to transform these results into practical learning content to support sustainable tourism in European coastal and island regions.
