Universities and the UN Ocean Decade: a vision for 2030 and beyond

Abstract Universities play a critical role in equipping the next generation of ocean professionals with the skills, knowledge, and perspectives required to address the urgent challenges of marine sustainability. As the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) reaches its midpoint, there is a unique opportunity to align higher education with the Decade’s vision of “the science we need for the ocean we want.” Higher education institutions remain the primary pathway for training future ocean professionals, yet many programmes remain siloed within disciplinary boundaries, underrepresenting applied, policy-relevant, and industry-oriented skills. This disconnect risks a misalignment between traditional academic programmes and the evolving demands of the marine sustainability sector. Drawing on the perspectives of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) working across diverse regions and sectors, this paper examines how universities can more effectively engage with the UN Ocean Decade and adapt curricula to meet emerging workforce needs. We identify four priority areas for institutional leaders: (1) expand specialized cross-disciplinary marine courses to bridge natural, social, and engineering sciences, (2) increase ocean literacy by creating accessible marine sustainability courses for non-specialists, (3) embed competencies such as co-design, systems thinking, and science–policy communication into existing courses, and (4) connect theory to local and regional needs through community partnerships. We highlight barriers—such as disciplinary silos, economic models that disincentivize cross-faculty teaching, faculty workload constraints, and uneven global capacity. We also propose enabling strategies, including leveraging alumni and industry networks, engaging ECOPs in teaching, fostering virtual exchanges, and incorporating active-learning approaches. Examples from around the world are presented to demonstrate successful models for integrating interdisciplinary marine education, promoting science-policy linkages, and preparing graduates for roles in both technical and non-technical ocean sectors. We argue that deeper engagement with the UN Ocean Decade can enhance student learning, expand career opportunities, and strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions to contribute to sustainable ocean solutions beyond 2030. By embedding ocean knowledge and sustainability competencies across disciplines, universities can position graduates to meet the growing workforce demands of the blue economy and support transformative, long-term solutions for a thriving, resilient ocean.