On 3 November, Mr. Reinhard Klingen, Director-General Waterways and Shipping in the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany, visited WMU accompanied by WMU Governor, Professor Peter Ehlers. According to WMU press release, Mr. Klingen met with President Doumbia-Henry and confirmed the strong interest of Germany in further engaging with WMU.
During his visit, Mr. Klingen met with WMU students currently supported by fellowships from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany and presented certificates of recognition to students in the graduating class. The meeting with the students was attended by the Honorary Consul of Germany in Skåne, Mr. Michael Leibig, Mr. Hanns Heinrich Conzen, Managing Director of TT Line and Dr. Jürgen Müller of DSB.
The German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure has funded 17 WMU students including four in the Class of 2017, and five in the Class of 2018. Germany has been an important supporter of the University since it was founded in 1983. Five students have been funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and 319 students have been funded by its predecessor, the Carl Duisburg Gesellschaft, including Mr. Kitack Lim, the first IMO Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor to be an Alumnus of the World Maritime University. At the 2016 Graduation Ceremony, Mr. Klingen, the Guest of Honour, announced that the Government of Germany would contribute one million euros to the World Maritime University’s Endowment Fund to help ensure its future financial sustainability, an amount that was transferred to the University.
Mr. Reinhard Klingen, Director-General Waterways and Shipping in the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany, with several students sponsored by the Ministry, WMU faculty and participants from the meeting with the students.