Knowledge is the foundation of sustainable development
At the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö, Sweden – the premier center of excellence for maritime postgraduate education – the future leaders of the maritime industry are being shaped. One of them is Ms. Hnin Oo Wai from Myanmar, whose education has been made possible by Wallenius Marine.
Ms. Hnin Oo Wai is an administrative officer at the Department of Marine Administration in Myanmar. In June 2020 Ms. Hnin started a 14 months long program in Maritime Affairs at the World Maritime University (WMU), made possible by a sponsorship from Wallenius Marine. Her goal is to help boost the quality of Myanmar’s Maritime Education and Training (MET) – a crucial part to be able to further develop the maritime standards in the region.
“There are a lot of skillful senior officers in our department, but most of them will be retired from service soon”, says Ms. Hnin. “To fulfill the needs of our country and also our department, we need more qualified instructors to upgrade our MET-system.”
In the Class of 2020, a class of 116 students from all over the world, teaching has been carried out online since March because of covid-19. But Ms. Hnin is looking forward to joining the Class of 2021, ideally in person in Malmö.
“Although I have never been there, I have heard from my seniors and colleagues that the town is both pleasant and peaceful. I’m very excited to go there. Besides that, I’m from a tropical region, so that cool weather in Malmö will be a new experience for me.”
“Create good in society”
For Wallenius Marine, the sponsorship role offers an opportunity to be a driving force in developing high standards of education, working environment and sustainability focus across the industry. Capt. San Win, HR Manager at Wallenius Marine in Singapore, was responsible for identifying to whom the sponsorship should be awarded.
“To sponsor Ms. Hnin is a part of Wallenius Marine’s efforts in sustainability. The whole point of our work is to create good in society – today and tomorrow – through activities and processes that will make a real difference”, says Capt. San Win.
Strong partnerships
Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, the President of WMU:
“WMU is part of the UN family, and it is very important for the sustainable development of the whole maritime and oceans sector that we build strong partnerships with industry, as well as with Governmental agencies. Through Wallenius Marine’s sponsorship of Ms Hnin, we are able to contribute our expertise to assist the development of generations of students within Myanmar’s MET system, to the benefit of the country, the region and the international community.”
About World Maritime University
The World Maritime University (WMU) was founded in Malmö, Sweden, in 1983 by the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, to inspire leadership and innovation for a sustainable maritime and oceans future. 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 University offers a portfolio of unique postgraduate educational programmes, undertakes wide-ranging research in maritime and ocean-related studies, and builds maritime and oceans capacity in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
