(NEWS) Class of 2016 Inauguration - Record Enrollment of Women

September

2015

Class of 2016 Inauguration - Record Enrollment of Women

The inauguration of the Malmö MSc in Maritime Affairs, Class of 2016, took place at WMU on 14 September. A total of 108 students are enrolled in the 14-month program, and it is expected that seven additional students will join the Class of 2016 in January for the MSc accelerated program. Overall, the Class of 2016 represents 47 different countries and has a record enrollment of 35 women comprising 32 percent of the intake, up from 25 percent.

WMU President, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, delivered welcome remarks at what was her first inauguration of an incoming class of students. She noted that these students would be the first class to study for a full academic year in the new WMU premises that were inaugurated in May this year. She also emphasized the new direction of the University expanding its offerings to include the ocean agenda in alignment with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals that are expected to be adopted at the end of this month. She referred in particular to Goal 14 concerning the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. The President encouraged the students to take full advantage of the opportunity to study at WMU so they will have no regrets when they return home, and remarked that “With such a multinational, multicultural and multilingual group of students, we will also be exchanging experiences and learning from each other. I have no doubt that the experience will be both enriching and rewarding. My own experience attests to these benefits. You will always be able to look back and say it was a journey and a road worth traveling.”

Additional remarks were made by WMU Vice President Academic, Neil Bellefontaine, and Associate Academic Dean, Patrick Donner, prior to the students breaking into their respective specializations for further meetings.

Of the incoming class, 31 participated in the three-month English Study Skills Program that concluded on 3 September. Orientation for the new students began on 7 September and included a series of workshops introducing the students to WMU as well as providing practical information about life in Sweden including a tour of Malmö.

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