Empowering Ocean and Biodiversity Literacy through the Curatorial Volunteer Club (CVC):
Kuala Nerus Hosts Its First UNESCO Blue School Malaysia Programme (2025)
By Repository and Reference Centre (RRC-UMT) (INOS)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), through the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), achieved a major milestone in ocean education and community engagement with the successful implementation of the first UNESCO Blue School Malaysia programme in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu held in conjunction with World Ocean Week @ UMT (WOW@UMT) 2025.
The initiative comprised three key components:
- CVC From Sea to Gallery @RRC-UMT: A Junior Curator’s Journey Workshop, conducted on 23–24 May 2025,
- Marine Life Exhibition Competition held on 15 June 2025 at each school participated and
- The Marine Life Exhibition Awards Ceremony & The Blue School Global Network Recognition, held on 22 June 2025 at the INOS Auditorium, UMT.
The programme was jointly organised by the Repository and Reference Centre of the South China Sea (RRC-INOS), INOS UMT, and the Faculty of Marine Science and Environment (FSSM), UMT, in collaboration with Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA Malaysia). The initiative was supported by The Habitat Foundation, YUFE, and UMT internal partners including HEPA, PIJIM, and PKK (PNC).
A total of 100 primary school students and 20 teachers from five participated schools in Kuala Nerus namely; SK Tok Jembal, SK Tanjung Gelam, SK Mengabang Telipot, SK Gong Badak, and SK Kompleks Gong Badak, were involved in the programme including 50 undergraduate students of Marine Biology from UMT.
CVC From Sea to Gallery @RRC-UMT: A Junior Curator’s Journey
The two-day workshop (23–24 May 2025) introduced students to marine science through an experiential, curator-based learning approach, transforming them into junior curators.
On the first day, students explored marine ecosystems through a “living classroom” field experience, guided by 50 Marine Biology students from UMT. This peer-learning model encouraged knowledge exchange while fostering early appreciation of coastal and marine biodiversity.
The workshop continued with Module 1: Introduction to marine habitats and coastal biodiversity and in Module 2: Hands-on training in wet and dry specimen processing and preservation at RRC-INOS laboratories. Students were introduced to the role of scientific collections as vital tools for research, education, conservation, and national biodiversity heritage.
On the second day, participants transitioned from science to communication through Module 3: Digital gallery development using MAQIVE – Malaysia Aqua Archive, a national aquatic biodiversity platform developed by RRC-INOS and in Module 4: Collaborative construction of marine habitat exhibitions, involving school students and UMT undergraduates. The exhibitions were subsequently displayed at the participating schools, allowing students to act as ambassadors of ocean knowledge within their own communities.
Marine Life Exhibition Awards & Blue School Global Network Recognition
The programme culminated on 22 June 2025 with the Marine Life Exhibition Awards Ceremony and the Blue School Global Network Recognition, held at the INOS Auditorium, UMT.
During this event, outstanding school exhibitions were recognised for their creativity, scientific accuracy, and conservation messaging. All five participating schools were officially appointed as Blue School Malaysia Ambassadors and the schools were formally inducted into The Blue School Malaysia-Global Network, endorsed by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC).
This recognition signifies the schools’ long-term commitment to advancing ocean literacy, marine conservation awareness, and sustainability education, aligned with SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 14: Life Below Water.
Curatorial Volunteer Club (CVC): Empowering Future Ocean Stewards
The CVC From Sea to Gallery workshop forms part of the broader Curatorial Volunteer Club (CVC) framework led by RRC-INOS throughout 2025. The programme positions university collections as active learning platforms, integrating citizen science, curatorial practice, and public engagement. By connecting scientific specimens, digital archives, and school-based exhibitions, CVC and Blue School Malaysia UNESCO programmes nurture a generation that is scientifically informed, environmentally responsible, and capable of communicating ocean knowledge effectively.
The successful implementation of WOW@UMT 2025, together with the CVC From Sea to Gallery Workshop and the Marine Life Exhibition Awards & Blue School Global Network Recognition, demonstrates UMT’s leadership in advancing ocean literacy and community-based education. INOS and RRC-UMT remain committed to expanding similar initiatives in the future, reinforcing UMT’s role as a marine-focused, sustainability-driven university, while contributing meaningfully to national and global efforts in ocean education and biodiversity conservation
