As an important innovation in the International Association of Maritime Universities’ history, the first President Forum was held in DMU in 15th, October 2006. As the Chairman of the first President Forum, Prof. Wang Zuwen, President of DMU co-presided the meeting with Admiral Leonard Tyler, President of Maine Maritime Academy, U.S. and Prof. Karl Laubstein, President of World Maritime University. Presidents and Rectors of the major maritime institutions from China, America, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Ukraine, Korea, Vietnam and other countries attended the meeting. They carried out a thorough discussion on Maritime Education and Training (MET).
Wang Zuwen, President of DMU delivered the speech first, expressing his warm welcome and gratitude to all the Presidents and Rectors presented at the Forum. He stated that Presidents and Rectors are in the foreland of international maritime education and training. They have accumulated abundant experiences, thus have an insight into the opportunities and challenges in the international maritime field. He hopes that this integrated and friendly communication will inspire new thoughts and new concepts in MET and this forum will be a new start.
Presidents and Rectors introduced their maritime education systems, characteristics, funding and so on respectively. Liu Zhengjiang, Dean of Navigation College, DMU, made a report on MET in China.
In the discussion, the Presidents and Rectors reach some consent. With the development of the world economy and the dramatic increase of marine transport volume, the number of merchant ships is increasing at a high speed. Most of the merchant ships worldwide are under the control of the developed countries belonging to Organization of Economic Communication and Development and newly soaring developing countries. The key problem that the international maritime field is facing is how to realize the high quality shipping services in an effective way. And the lack of competent seafarers is one of the most important factors. Therefore members of IMU are responsible to provide competent graduates in order to achieve the goal of ‘Safe, Secure and Efficient Shipping on |
