IAMU Annual General Assembly 2007 - Dalian Maritime University

Annual General Assembly 2006 - Dalian

IAMU holds the Annual General Assembly (AGA) every once a year to discuss IAMU management and activities, and to present outcomes of various research activities by member institutions including international research collaboration. The 7'th Annual General Assembly (AGA7) was held on 16-18 October, 2006 at Dalian Maritime University in Dalian, China. Under the conference theme "Globalization and MET (Maritime Education and Training)", 97 delegates (Participant List) including 25 presidents/rectors and 18 students (Student Participants) from 30 member institutions in 20 countries participated in the conference. About 40 presentations List of presentations were made in sessions as the outcome of research activities during the year. A variety of presentations and active discussions were made on such topics as sustainable global MET system for quality seafarers, and international collaboration among maritime industry and maritime universities.

At the opening ceremony, following to the opening remarks by Mr. Huan Xianyao, Vice Minister of Communications, China Mr. Xianyao's Speech, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Honorary Chair of IAMU Mr. Sasakawa's Speech and the Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, gave a keynote speech titled "Development for a New World Maritime Community". He emphasized the necessity of human resource development and international collaboration beyond national boundaries to face the worldwide shortage of quality seafarers and the rapidly changing world maritime community. The speech was widely reported not only in Chinese maritime media, but also covered by the Lloyd's List Lloyds List Coverage PDF(1),PDF(2), the London-based renowned international maritime daily.

Also, the very first "President Forum" was held during the Assembly with 25 presidents/rectors of member maritime universities of the world attended. Each county's maritime policy and the situation of MET were presented followed by a thorough discussion on what MET institutions can and should do to share the urgent need to ensure highest level of human resource development, and to share the international standards for the competence of seafarers.

The Forum focused on the fact that almost all the IAMU member institutions are national, hence they are significantly affected and bound by the national maritime policy, rules and regulations of respective countries. In other words, they are on the very much "national" ground. The Forum was agreed to be held annually at the time of each General Assembly, and the outcome of the first meeting at Dalian be the basis for further IAMU activities as "The Dalian Statement". The Dalian Statement

The first meeting of the "On-board training" project (Intergrated Working Group) was also held during the AGA7.

The next annual general accemly (AGA8) will be held at Odesa National Maritime Academyin September 2007.