The U.S. National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) International Committee supports increasing global participation in marine education and the promotion of ocean literacy around the world.
International attendees at NMEA 2019 in Durham, NH
International attendees at NMEA 2018 in Long Beach, CA
NMEA International Committee Charter
The U.S. National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) International Committee provides advice and guidance on all international activities of NMEA to the President, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and NMEA at large. This committee promotes and represents NMEA on the international level as opportunities arise, supports international member participation in conferences, committees and other NMEA activities, and ensures consistent NMEA communication with other international marine education associations, as appropriate.
The NMEA International Committee aims to strengthen international collaboration in the field of marine education by:
Participating in international collaborations, networks and conversations to promote excellence in marine education.
Maintaining an open and collaborative spirit to encourage shared learning and growth.
Providing leadership, guidance, and support as needed/requested to people and organizations working towards similar goals at the international level.
Assisting international members in learning about the structure, culture and different committees of NMEA.
Promoting the NMEA international scholarship to international conference attendees/potential future attendees.
Promoting membership of NMEA to international marine educators.
Holding international meetings at NMEA annual conferences to welcome international attendees.
Participating in, contributing to and supporting international Ocean Literacy efforts and events. Advocating for the importance of continued NMEA leadership/participation in the international Ocean Literacy effort.
Over the years, NMEA has seen increased attendance from international educators at annual conferences and has actively supported the creation of marine education networks and conferences across the globe.
Examples include:
The International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN)
IPMEN is a collective of marine educators and scientists throughout the Pacific. IPMEN was formed and had its first conference in Honolulu in 2007, and has since continued to hold a conference every few years in different locations around the Pacific. For more information visit the IPMEN website.
The European Marine Science Education Association (EMSEA)
EMSEA was born from the enthusiasm of a team of marine educators from Europe inspired and encouraged by NMEA members after attending a US conference. EMSEA has a strong membership base from many countries and has hosted annual conferences since 2012.
Additionally, multiple regional EMSEA groups have formed including EMSEA Atlantic, EMSEA Baltic Sea, EMSEA Black Sea and EMSEA Mediterranean.
The Canadian Network for Ocean Education (CaNOE)
CaNOE, the Canadian Network for Ocean Education, is a network for the advancement of ocean literacy in Canada. Established in 2014, CaNOE provides a forum for learning, discussing, and sharing ocean literacy in Canada. CaNOE has hosted annual conferences since 2015. CaNOE, links diverse members with best practices to chart a course towards a sustainable future for Canadians that includes ocean education.
The Asia Marine Educators Association (AMEA)
Established in 2015, AMEA aims to promote marine education and ocean literacy among Asian citizens and advocates to produce and disseminate marine education resources throughout Asia.
RELATO is a network created to strengthen, make visible, and professionalize marine education to promote ocean literacy/culture in Latin America and the Caribbean. RELATO seeks to connect initiatives, foster international collaboration, design instances to share experiences, improve practices, pool information, and provide educational materials. The first RELATO conference was held virtually in 2021.
The Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) Marine & Coastal Special Interest Group
After 30 years serving the needs of marine educators in Australia and New Zealand as a stand-alone organization, the Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA) took the strategic step of uniting with the Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE). In effect, MESA morphed into the AAEE Marine & Coastal Special Interest Group.
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