On 13 January
2022, the Government of Sweden issued a press release confirming that WMU’s
degrees are now accredited by the Swedish authorities.
“The entire WMU community is delighted by the
successful outcome of the accreditation process which has been ongoing for some
years,” said WMU’s President, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry. “We are immensely
grateful for the support and assistance of the Government of our host country,
Sweden. “
The text of the press release is as follows:
The Government
gives the International Maritime Organization the right to award certain
degrees in the maritime field in Sweden, through the World Maritime University.
It is with very great pleasure that we give WMU the right to award
degrees
“It is with very
great pleasure that we give WMU the right to award degrees. This will be of
great importance in securing sustainable development of the maritime sector and
in reaching the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The education and
qualifications are also important to increase gender equality within the
shipping industry,” stated Tomas Eneroth, Sweden’s Minister for Infrastructure.
WMU is located in
Malmö, and was established by the International Maritime Organization. WMU is
the only UN institution sited in Sweden, and offers university education and
research within maritime affairs.
WMU has applied for the power to award MSc and
PhD degrees in Sweden, and the Government has now resolved to permit this,
after Parliament approved a change to the law on the power to award degrees in
December 2021.
Maritime education is the education of the future says, Sweden’s
Minister for Education
“Sweden should be
taking a leading role in climate change issues. Sustainable transport is
essential in this work. Maritime jobs are the jobs of the future, and maritime
education is the education of the future. Sweden places great value on the work
that WMU carries out,” said Anna Ekström, Sweden’s Minister for Education.