(NEWS) Farewell and Thanks to Mr Koji Sekimizu

December

2015

Farewell and Thanks to Mr Koji Sekimizu

The closing day of IMO Assembly, 2 December, included a farewell to Mr. Koji Sekimizu who has served as Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since January 2012, and Chancellor of WMU since June 2012 and will step down from both roles on 31 December 2015.

On behalf of the University, Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU President, delivered a message of thanks to Mr. Sekimizu at the Assembly stating, “It is an honour for me to express to Mr. Koji Sekimizu, as President of the World Maritime University, on behalf of the Faculty, Staff and Students of the University, our deepest thanks and gratitude for the enormous contribution you have made to the University. During your mandate, you have spared no effort and have been tireless in ensuring that the University was equipped for tomorrow to continue to educate and build capacity for the future leaders of the entire maritime industry. Mr Sekimizu, you have given to WMU a road map for the future on the basis of the Study on the Financial Sustainability of the University providing it with the strategic directions to ensure a solid future. You have ensured that WMU’s Charter was amended to enable it to take advantage of the opportunities of today and tomorrow and operationalized the WMU Endowment Fund to diversify its sources of funding. Thank you for this legacy! Secretary-General, you will always have a special place in the hearts of WMU’s President, Faculty, Staff and Students. We wish you, your wife and family well.”

Mr. Sekimizu has been a well-loved Chancellor who has taken a significant interest in the success and growth of the University. During his tenure as IMO Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor, Mr. Sekimizu visited WMU on numerous occasions inspiring the students and staff with his vision for WMU and dedication to the mission of IMO.

At the recent graduation ceremony for the Class of 2015 that was held on 2 November, Mr. Sekimizu emphasized the prominent reputation of WMU highlighting the result of the election of WMU alumnus, Mr. Ki-tack LIM, as Secretary-General as well as noting the multiple candidates who were WMU alumni, “this a clear testament of the value of the university as an institution for generating future leaders in the maritime community.” In addressing the graduates, Chancellor Sekimizu put forth five points to strive for including discipline, having the courage to do the right thing and rely on your own judgment, always aiming for the top, being ambitious for the sake of others rather than your own aggrandizement, and remembering that that ethics and morals are the most important qualification for any leader, as well as the ability to work with people.

To read Mr. Sekimizu’s blog entry, Farewell to the World Maritime University, click here.

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