On 14 May 2026, the CodeBLUE partnership held its first in-person Joint Research Workshop at Varna University of Management (VUM), the project’s lead partner. Twelve representatives from all five partner institutions travelled to Varna for the meeting, marking the consortium’s first face-to-face gathering since the project began.

Over the course of the day, partners reviewed progress on the project’s national research — including the country reports and the first outputs on skills gaps and curriculum pathways — and began shaping the cross-disciplinary curriculum on the blue economy for tourism and services that will follow.

The day closed with a session on decisions and action points and an outline of the next partner meeting.

The workshop reflected the strong collaborative spirit driving the project, bringing the research team’s ideas and dedication together around a shared direction. Through it, the CodeBLUE partnership continues to build stronger knowledge, deeper cooperation, and innovative learning pathways for a more sustainable future in tourism and the blue economy.