WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime Governance launched officially
The WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime Governance was officially launched on 25 June at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, WMU says in a press release. Spearheaded by the World Maritime University (WMU) with support from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Dr. Koji Sekimizu, Former Chancellor of WMU and Former IMO Secretary-General, the PhD Fellowship will enable an assessment of the role and impact of maritime governance over the past 60 years. Account will need to be taken of the role of the IMO as well as of relevant United Nations agencies and bodies that have impacted maritime governance.
The launch of the fellowship is in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the IMO Convention in 1948. The IMO Convention entered into force in 1958. As this year is also the 21st anniversary of the IMO-Singapore Memorandum of Understanding on Third Country Training Programme (TCTP), MPA’s support of this fellowship is therefore timely. Since 1998, MPA has been training the international maritime community under the IMO Singapore TCTP. To date, more than 2,000 officials from over 90 countries have been successfully trained under MPA Academy flagship programmes and IMO-Singapore TCTP.
Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU, expressed her appreciation to the MPA for funding this fellowship. Dr. Sekimizu served the IMO for 26 years, including four years as the Secretary General of the organization. She noted the importance of the impact that IMO has had over the past 60 years in ensuring that shipping is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. She stated, “At WMU, we pride ourselves on educating generations of students at the postgraduate level to be in a position to ensure the uniform application and effective implementation in law and in practice of global shipping instruments adopted by the IMO and other relevant international organizations. This PhD fellowship on maritime governance is timely. It will enable a broad-based assessment of the role and impact of relevant international maritime instruments, with a primary focus on IMO instruments and taking into account the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and relevant instruments of other UN agencies.”
Ms Quah Ley Hoon, MPA’s Chief Executive, said, “MPA is pleased to contribute to the WMU-Koji Sekimizu PhD Fellowship on Maritime Governance programme, under Singapore’s enhanced technical co-operation and training package for the IMO and its Member States. We are confident that in the long run, the programme would reap great dividends in nurturing the next generation skilled maritime professionals who will make significant contributions to the international shipping community.”
Over the last 60 years, IMO has established international regulations and rules for international shipping and in doing so has significantly contributed to creating and maintaining the necessary international legal order for safe, secure, and sustainable shipping. This has benefitted every aspect of our modern lives, from the safe and efficient transportation of goods and materials to environmental standards. Shipping is responsible for more than 80 per cent of world trade which is essential to economic development.
Interested applicants are invited to submit a research proposal and study plan of no more than 2,000 words that would include a review and assessment of the role, development and impact of IMO in the field of maritime governance over the past 60 years taking into account the role of relevant United Nations agencies and bodies. The PhD proposal should aim at analyzing how competing and complementary international, regional interests have influenced maritime governance; how the shipping industry has interacted with the competent international organizations; the impact of the measures taken and their implementation; and the role and impact of IMO in the adoption and effective implementation of global shipping instruments. The deadline to apply is 23:59 CET on 15 September 2019. After completing his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in engineering at Osaka University, Dr. Koji Sekimizu started his career in Japan’s Ministry of Transport, but subsequently spent 26 years at IMO. His illustrious career included service as Head of the Technology Section, Director of the Marine Environment Division, and Director of Maritime Safety Division. He was elected Secretary-General in 2011 and served as the seventh Secretary-General of IMO from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2015.
Dr. Sekimizu is the fourth Chancellor of WMU and the seventh Secretary-General of the IMO. He took a significant interest in the success and growth of the University during his tenure as Chancellor and visited WMU on numerous occasions inspiring the students and staff with his vision for WMU and dedication to the mission of IMO. He was responsible for establishing a road map for the future of WMU on the basis of the Study on the Financial Sustainability of the University as well as operationalizing the WMU Endowment Fund. At the 2016 WMU Graduation Ceremony, he was awarded Doctor of Science in Maritime Affairs, honoris causa.