The Harbour School’s Marine Science Programs Make Waves at 2025 IPMEN Conference in Taiwan

On 14-17 April 2025, The Harbour School (THS) represented Hong Kong at the 2025 International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN) Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This event, bringing together marine educators, scientists, and environmental advocates from across the Pacific and beyond, provided a platform for THS to showcase its Marine Science Center (MSC) initiatives, including the student-led seaweed project.

MSC Teacher Carlos Rius Errando shared THS' commitment to sustainability, ocean literacy, and experiential learning through hands-on projects like the seaweed initiative, which involves farming sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), conducting biodiversity studies, and collaborating with local fish farms. He also presented on how experiential learning can foster global action on ocean health.

The conference offered valuable networking opportunities, enabling THS to connect with marine educators from Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Guam, Hawaii, Samoa, Taiwan, and Maine, and explore new international collaborations.

Through these connections, THS is exploring potential student internships at the MSC and integrating ocean literacy resources into classrooms across all grade levels, further enriching the school’s marine science programs.

The event also marked the release of the Takao Declaration, urging policymakers to prioritize ocean health. The declaration has been submitted to Taiwanese policymakers, reflecting the conference’s impact on shaping global environmental policies.