On the morning of July 22, the graduation ceremony of the MSc in Maritime Affairs specialization in International Transport and Logistics (ITL), jointly run by Shanghai Maritime University (SMU) and the World Maritime University (WMU), took place in Shanghai. Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr., President of WMU; Professor Michael Ekow Manuel, Vice President (Provost) of WMU; and Professor Dong Cheng, Head of the ITL Programme attended the ceremony. Nearly 100 people attended, including SMU President Chu Beiping, SMU Vice President Yin Ming, faculty representatives, graduates, representatives of the incoming cohort, parents and alumni. The ceremony was hosted by the head of SMU’s International Office and International Education College.
On behalf of SMU, Chu Beiping congratulated the graduates on their achievements. He noted that the shipping industry is currently undergoing a critical period of digital, intelligent, green and low-carbon transformation alongside the restructuring of global supply chains, which sets new requirements for talents with an international perspective, professional competence and a strong sense of responsibility. President Chu highlighted that leveraging WMU’s strengths in international education and the distinctive maritime disciplines of partner universities, the ITL specialization is characterized by the integration of global vision and practical orientation, and has cultivated numerous outstanding professionals active in shipping, logistics, ports and relevant institutions. He encouraged graduates to maintain an enduring passion for learning, embrace innovation, shoulder responsibilities bravely, uphold accountability and integrity, and contribute to building a safer, greener, more resilient and inclusive shipping industry.
Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. spoke highly of the achievements arising from the partnership between the two universities and thanked the faculty members and administrative teams on both sides for their efforts in ensuring the programme’s high-quality operation. He said that the ITL programme brought together WMU’s expertise in international regulatory frameworks and global governance with SMU’s strong academic foundations and advantages in local practice, providing students with a high-level, internationally oriented educational platform. In the face of new challenges such as the green transition and digitalization of shipping and the need to strengthen global supply-chain resilience, he encouraged the graduates to maintain the highest professional standards and a strong sense of responsibility, while drawing on their international outlook and cross-cultural communication skills. He also invited them to join WMU’s global alumni network and grow alongside fellow alumni across more than 170 countries and territories, contributing their knowledge and expertise to facilitating global trade, advancing ocean sustainability and promoting the development of international shipping.
During the ceremony, Michael Ekow Manuel and Yin Ming presented certificates to the winner of Academic Excellence and the winners of Excellent Papers, respectively. Ms. Sun Qinyan from ITL 2019 gave alumni speech. Students from the 22nd cohort performed the anthems of both universities. The atmosphere was both solemn and celebratory, reflecting the longstanding friendship between the two universities and the programme’s strong record in educating maritime professionals.
Based on the construction of Shanghai as an international shipping center and the development needs of the international shipping industry, the ITL programme has been running for more than two decades. Its rigorous academic standards and strong industry reputation have earned it broad recognition. A total of 26 students graduated this year, among whom one student is from Russia and another is from Hong Kong, China.
