On 26 November, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in a virtual ceremony between the World Maritime University (WMU) and Batumi State Maritime Academy (BSMA). According to WMU’s press release, the MOU was signed by Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU and Captain Professor Irakli Sharabidze, Rector of BSMA. The signing was witnessed by parties at WMU and on behalf of BSMA, including HE Ambassador Tamar Beruchashvili, Permanent Representative of Georgia to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Ms Tamar Ioseliani, Director of the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia.
In his welcome remarks, Captain Sharabidze said, “WMU, as the International Maritime Organization’s world center of excellence in postgraduate maritime education, and Batumi StateMaritime Academy, as the leading Maritime Education and Training institution of Georgia standing in the roots of maritime education of the country, with this MOU will contribute to development of Georgia’s maritime sector. It will give us the opportunity for cooperation in the field of maritime education, as well as capacity building and research.”
President Doumbia-Henry noted the efforts Georgia is making to enhance the existing frameworks of maritime governance and to improve the country’s capacity for optimum Maritime Education and Training in the wide sense of the term. She remarked that the bulk of implementing this national agenda will fall to the maritime administration and in particular, BSMA, as a tool for developing the needed human resources that will support the appropriate growth of the maritime industry in Georgia and in the region as a whole.
“WMU is pleased to partner with the Government of Georgia through the Batumi State Maritime Academy to support the government in advancing maritime education, training, research and capacity-building activities, while promoting and supporting the growth of a well-developed, coordinated and efficient shipping within the maritime sector,” said Dr Doumbia-Henry.
The agreement was welcomed by Ambassador Beruchashvili who said, “In this cooperation Georgia provides a platform to WMU to become more visible and engaged not only in Georgia but in the whole Black Sea region as well.”
Director Ioseliani said, “From our end, as we are the oversight body of maritime education and of the BSMA, we will do our best to support initiatives related to maritime education, research and training. Maritime research is a very important aspect of this cooperation, and we are looking forward to the expansion of cooperation in this regard, especially in the field of Maritime policy.”
As the IMO’s centre of excellence for postgraduate maritime education, WMU’s mission is to be the world centre of excellence in postgraduate maritime and oceans education, professional training and research, while building global capacity and promoting sustainable development. The MoU aligns with WMU’s capacity building mission as well as the University’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularlyGoal 4 - Quality Education, Goal 14 - Life Below Water which includes maritime and ports, and Goal 17 - Partnerships.
Founded in 1929, Batumi State Maritime Academy is an internationally accredited higher-education maritime school located in Batumi, Georgia. The institution offers accredited programmes at vocational, bachelor, and master’s levels to prepare qualified individuals for employment within the marine-trade fleet and maritime transport infrastructure.