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Unlocking Maritime Opportunities

Unlocking Maritime Opportunities

Professor Suren Singh, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, has urged Maritime stakeholders and lecturers to change their game plan in approaching the discipline and getting it across.

Prof Singh was addressing delegates at the 23rd International Maritime Lecturers Association Conference held at the Elangeni Hotel, Durban. The five-day conference is being held in South Africa for the very first time. Attending the conference are delegates from Singapore, Slovenia, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey, India, China, Ghana, Kenya and Sweden. Also attending are educators and students from Durban schools such as Sithengile and Zwelibanzi high schools, to name but a few.

Prof Singh said the DUT Maritime Department, under his Faculty, was committed to being in the forefront of Maritime education and training. “The Department of Maritime Studies has created its own vision to be at the forefront of Maritime education and training in South Africa. The Department’s  mission is to educate through student centred learning, post-graduate qualifications and engage with Maritime Communities which I am certain it will be driving with IMLA,” he said.

Currently, DUT is the only university in the country offering an undergraduate diploma that caters for the shore-based industry services as well as the Marine Engineering component of the National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. The Diploma offered by the University allows students to either pursue a sea-going career as navigating officers or a shore based one.

The Faculty of Applied Sciences is re-engineering its programs with the Department of Maritime in 2016, replacing the current offering of a National Diploma with two new programs. “The Department of Maritime will set sail with two new programs in 2016, the first being is a diploma in Shipping and Logistics and the second (diploma) in Nautical Studies,” said Prof Singh.

In his keynote address, Professor Jin, IMLA Chairman,  applauded the contribution done by DUT, adding that the Maritime industry like any other cannot succeed without the commitment and dedication of the labour force of educated and trained personnel. “Commitment and dedication is essential for the sustainable development of effective Maritime education and training,” he said.

Prof Jin further encouraged IMLA members to commit themselves in promoting contact and co-operation, not only between themselves, but their communities while IMLA continues to spread its network with other international organisations.

– Noxolo Memela

Pictured: IMLA delegates at the 23rd International Maritime Lecturers Association Conference held at the Elangeni Hotel, Durban.

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