Mission Ocean

Although the ocean is still a largely unexplored ecosystem, we know that it is a critical climate regulator, which makes it a major concern for humankind. Currently, less than 6% of the world’s oceans have been researched.

In order to answer the questions of young people, give them keys of understanding and help them to prepare their future, key players in the private and public sectors have come together to build the Mission Ocean program. This learning path is designed for middle school students and is based on 3D and virtual universes.

For the next three years, an interdisciplinary group of 10 teachers (mathematics, physics, sciences, technology and geography) will be collaborating to create new educational contents related to ocean sciences, including videos designed to highlight what future jobs might look like and inspire students by illustrating the importance of engineering in this future context.

The Ifremer Mediterranean Centre in La Seyne-sur-Mer has created a space entirely dedicated to the development of innovative education. This facility hopes to foster close collaborations between teachers, researchers and engineers to co-create innovative curricula as well as interactive and immersive experiences. This content will enhance existing and future professions related to science and technology for ocean knowledge and preservation.

The Mission Ocean project aims to facilitate young students' learning and deepen their knowledge in subjects including maths, physics, chemistry, geography, natural sciences and earth sciences, while studying the oceans. They will explore new working paths, benefit from industry and research professionals’ expertise, and develop projects to help preserve the world’s oceans.

They will also be able to learn differently thanks to the possibilities offered by virtual worlds (3D modeling, virtual reality experiments, numerical simulations), and to acknowledge their own power to act on the environment, as well as to imagine themselves in trainings and jobs for the future.

On October 7, 2020, in honor of the 5th anniversary of the announcement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, the French Ministry of Education, ONISEP, Réseau Canopé and Ifremer presented the Mission Ocean project.

The virtual event attendees included Bernard Charlès, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systèmes, François Houllier, President and CEO of Ifremer, Ms. Frédérique Alexandre-Bailly, Director General of ONISEP, Jean-Marc Merriaux, Director of Digital for Education in the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports and Marie-Caroline Messir, Director General of Réseau Canopé.

Adopted by all United Nations Member States, the 2030 Agenda provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. La Fondation Dassault Systèmes supports the Mission Ocean project meets three of these goals: Quality Education, Life Below Water and Partnerships for the Goals.