19
May
2015

International MET Symposium 2015

For over three decades, the World Maritime University (WMU) has provided maritime education to organizations and companies all over the world. Established under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, WMU has a unique capacity-building mission that has a direct impact on global maritime policy and development.

WMU is uniquely placed to continue its capacity-building success in educating and training maritime leaders, whose resulting wide-ranging policy and administrative skills positively impact the global maritime community.

On 19-20 May 2015, WMU will host an international symposium focused on Maritime Oceans Education and Training (MET) in its new home - a specially equipped building in the heart of Malmö. This will bring together thought-leaders to discuss contemporary challenges for the maritime community, scenarios for the future, and optimum responses for all sectors of the industry. The symposium will set the agenda for research, for discourse in the maritime community and for debating the issues underpinning the sustainable use of the maritime world we share.

WMU will welcome many speakers and participants to this symposium, which will be opened by our Chancellor, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, the Secretary-General of IMO. We look forward to hosting the maritime community as it affirms an agenda for sustainable ocean use and a commitment to optimise maritime education and training for - as succinctly put by the Rio+20 outcome - “the future we want”.


Opening Remarks and Keynote speakers, Tue 19 May, 14.00-14.45

  • Welcome
  • WMU President
  • Keynote speakers
  • Mr. Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General
  • Dr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman The Nippon Foundation
  • Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs TBC
  • Other Message - Statement by Prof. David Attard, Director IMLI

  • Session 1 - Educating Maritime and Ocean Leaders, Tue 19 May, 15.00-18.00

    Educating and building the capacity of upcoming maritime and ocean leaders has been the essential and long-term pursuit of many academic, research and institutional actors around the world. Such education is pursued with different emphases in individual organizations and institutions, from the maritime education delivered at WMU, to marine affairs-oriented studies at various ocean universities, to more science-based instruction in some UN agencies and scientific bodies.

    Are we preparing these future leaders in the most comprehensive manner, by providing a holistic and integrated understanding of the ocean and how we use, interact with and take responsibility for its health and the continued provision of the goods and services we have come to depend on? And are we preparing these leaders to address emerging issues and challenges, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on or touching oceans, and the expansion of UNCLOS to address issues on the high seas? This session will explore these important questions through presentations by prominent representatives of some of the leading education and capacity-building organizations and in interactive panels of educators and practitioners, who will reflect upon, debate and conclude on direction for the future.


    Session 2 - Sustainable MET: History, contemporary issues and future scenarios, Wed 20 May, 09.00-12.30

    “Effective standards of training remain the bedrock of a safe and secure shipping industry, which needs to preserve the quality, practical skills and competence of qualified human resources.” These words from the Secretary- General of the IMO, Mr. Koji Sekimizu during his launch of the 2015 World Maritime Day at WMU, serve to illustrate the role and importance of maritime education and training to the global community now and into the future.

    This session of the WMU MET Symposium to mark the inauguration of WMU’s new premises is titled MET and Organizational Development. The session will address the current and future paradigms of global maritime education and training with specific reference to seafarer competence, administrative framework and policy determination as well as organizational development. The session will seek to create a dialogue with regards to the evolution of MET and to discuss trends for the future. In particular, the session will focus on what different jurisdictions perceive to be contemporary challenges and how they seek to respond to these challenges both at a policy and operational level for optimum and sustainable maritime education and training.


    Session 3 - Contemporary Maritime Issues, Wed 20 May, 14.00-17.00

    Since WMU was established by IMO in 1983, the global maritime industry has changed dramatically. Globalization has resulted in a doubling of the world fleet and a tripling in the volume of trade by sea. During this time, the world has become increasingly focused on the need for greater safety at sea as well as the potentially adverse effects of maritime activity on the environment.

    This session is addressing some of the current issues related to maritime safety, the marine environment, energy efficiency and container ports’ responses to the ever-changing shipping environment. Are we able to govern the technological challenges in maritime transport with the existing prescriptive regulations or are we in need of new regulatory regimes that account for risk assessment and management on a much more elevated level? How can new technologies and new technological concepts, such as e-navigation, be used to make shipping safer?

    With the increased concerns of climate change, rising and volatile fuel costs, energy security, and depleting sources as well as more stringent environmental regulations, energy efficiency and its management on board ships have gained a new momentum and represents a very current challenge for maritime transport. A central question is how the human operators – on board and ashore – can be enabled to respond to the challenges highlighted in this session.