IAMU News - Special Edition

ODESA NATIONAL MARITIME ACADEMY

MARITIME EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN UKRAINE

Ukraine is the 3rd largest seafarers supplier to the world maritime fleet: the estimated number of Ukrainian seafarers is 45,000 (20,000 Officers and 25,000 Ratings). The same source indicates approximately 15,000 seafarers engaged on the national flag vessels and Ukrainian vessels trading under a foreign flag. By deduction therefore circa 30,000 Ukrainian seafarers (13,000 Officers and 17,000 Ratings) are employed on the foreign flag vessels.

In 1995 Ukraine was the 22nd in the world ranking of the most important maritime countries. According to the domicile of deadweight tonnage - currently Ukraine is not in the top 35. Many reasons have been postulated for the loss of the fleet but its decimation was probably the cause for the Ukrainian seafarers seeking employment in the fleets of other countries.

Ukraine has a vast and diverse system of waterways and lakes that includes the rivers Dnestr and Dnepr the latter linking Kiev to the sea. In addition, Ukraine has a long tradition of seafaring and as to Odessa, its maritime history dates back more than 200 years. It is not surprising therefore that Ukraine's heritage has produced a well-established system for the seafarers training. It seems the philosophy of the government considers it more important to provide graduates with the full education rather than merely to produce 'vocational' specialists. The reduction of the Ukrainian national flag ships, the dispersing of seafarers and the increasing reliance by the EU on 'foreign' trained crews require reassurances that international conventions and agreements are being observed.

The Ukrainian Government acceded to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers through the enactment of the Ukrainian Law No.464/96-BP of 01.11.1996. The Ministry of Transport of Ukraine (MTU) through its various departments is responsible for the implementation of the Ukrainian Resolutions and Orders applying to the rail/road/air and maritime transport, the transport strategy and policy and the co-ordination of the activities of the respective departments. In respect of the STCW requirements, two departments are directly affected:

• The State Department of Maritime and Inland Water Transport
• The Inspectorate for Training and Certification of Seafarers (ITCS).

In the 15 of January 2005 Cabinet of the Ministers of the Ukraine has approved the "Regulation about Conferring the Rank to the Seafarers".

The Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) is responsible for the curricula of all the training programs, the qualifications of teachers, and the qualifications that can be obtained by students irrespective of the type of educational institute - academy, college or university. In addition, the MESU controls the quality, licensing and accreditation of all the educational establishments through the inspections. With regard to the subjects covered, the MESU determines 65% of the curricula leaving to the training establishments to decide on the remaining 35%. A list of obligatory courses of study for each qualification is produced and each course of study is documented and allocated with a serial or 'specialist' number. The State Examination Commission (SEC), State Qualification Commission of Maritime Educational Institutions, determines educational standards. The qualifications set by the MESU for the scientific staff and instructors at higher educational institutions are as follows:

• The Assistant - MSc. with 5 years teaching experience including pedagogical and refresher training;
• The Assistant Professor - PhD or PhD candidate;
• The Professor - PhD in science subject;
• The Rector - PhD with a maximum age limit of 65 years.

The MESU is responsible for the revalidation, expansion of the scope of all curricula and all the refresher courses. To qualify for a license an institution must satisfy MESU standards for teachers (professors, assistant professors and specialists) and examiners (assessors) and demonstrate that the institution has all the necessary facilities, equipment and materials to ensure that the requirements of all the training or education courses offered can be fully met.

The courses for a Bachelor degree demand 4 years of study, Masters of Science - 5½ years of study and PhD - 3 years of study after attainment of a Master's degree. The courses of study for higher qualifications are modular based with students having to gain credits for each completed module, which include a combination of written and practical tests and examinations. The Odesa National Maritime Academy has the largest campus and the cadets' number of all the maritime institutes in Ukraine with the number of graduates increasing each year. It bears the The President of Ukraine in confers name of 'National' to denote its status - the title recognition of its prominence above all other maritime training establishments. The Academy has celebrated its 60th anniversary on the 7th June 2004. Apart from its connection with the Odesa College of Technical Fleet, the Academy has two other branches in Izmail and Mariupol. Whilst under the umbrella and overall supervision of the ONMA, these institutions operate largely on an independent basis.

The Academy is licensed and accredited by the MESU receiving funds from the MESU and MTU, grants from the third parties and private tuition fees. Licenses cover all the specialties to the highest level (BSc. and MSc.) as well as the tuition and certification courses for ratings and divers.

The faculties offering BSc, Specialist and MSc Courses are:

• - Navigation -
  Deep-sea navigation
• - Navigation and Specialized Ships' Operation -
  Sea-Going Hydrographic Ships' Navigation
  Technical Service Ships' Navigation and Dredging Operations
  Deep - See and Inland Navigation
• - Marine Engineering -
  Ships' Power Plants' Operation
  Ships' Power and Refrigeration Plants Operation
• - Electrical Engineering -
  Electric Systems and Complexes of Transport means
• - Automation -
  Automated Control of Ships' Power Plants
• - Radio electronics -
  Radioelectronic Appliances, System and Complexes
• - Humanitarian -
  Maritime Law
  Maritime Management

The Academy appears in the IMO compendium of Maritime Training Institutions 2000.

The Russian Maritime Register certifies the Quality Management System of the ONMA.