MPA and WMU Cooperate on Leadership Training

MPA Academy, the training arm of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and the World Maritime University (WMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate on global maritime leadership training and capacity building for the international maritime community.

The MOU was signed by Andrew Tan, MPA Chief Executive, and Professor Neil Bellefontaine, Acting President of WMU. The signing ceremony, held in conjunction with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week 2015, was witnessed by Josephine Teo, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport, and Koji Sekimizu, Secretary General for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Chancellor of WMU.

The MOU is MPA Academy's first strategic tie-up with a global center of excellence in maritime education, in line with the MPA Academy's efforts to reposition itself as a center of excellence in global maritime leadership training. 

The MOU provides for cooperation between the two partners on leadership development programs, as well as exchange of faculty members. Under the agreement, MPA Academy will also continue the tradition that began in 2004 of hosting WMU students in Singapore for field study visits as a part of the port management specialization in the WMU masters program.

“We are delighted that MPA Academy is collaborating with WMU to strengthen our academic offerings,” said Tan. “At the same time, we will be able to further contribute to WMU's work in global maritime leadership development. We look forward to both organizations strengthening the many areas of collaboration in training and capacity building.”

“Being able to visit one of the busiest ports in the world is an incredible opportunity that deepens their knowledge of port operations and administration, and supports the maritime-capacity building mission of WMU,” said Bellefontaine.