There are two institutes, one is WMU which has accepted a large number
of students from Asian countries; the other is Kobe or Tokyo University of the Mercantile
Marine; both have the postgraduate schools of MSc and PhD in maritime studies.
The best way to realize the academic course is that two institutes
cooperate closely with each other. KUMM and TUMM would do well to promote WMU graduates in
the PhD course.
4.3.2 Specialist course
The operation functions of the shipping industry are divided into
special items as mentioned before. This industry urges the need for specialists who have
more extensive and more profound knowledge of ship operations, crewing, maintenance and
repair.
The specialists will be able to contribute and play an active part in
ships' safety and play a role in environmental protection as well. They could also play an
active role as supervisors of trainees in these fields.
The basic terminology of the specialist is a person who has practical
knowledge of ship operation, crewing, maintenance and repair plus technology and skills
from his/her experiences. Up to the present these specialists have raised standards
through the on-the-job-training from generation to generation smoothly.
However, the ship machinery and the operation hardware and systems are
changing to more complex and sophisticated systems these days. The usual bring up method
of specialists is out-of-date because of the catching up with the soft- and hard ware
revolution in the shipping industry.
In the Asian region the prospective specialists will be educated
through the cooperations in three institutes; WMU, the Marine Technical College and the
Institute for Sea Training.
At the first stage, MTC will accept the graduates from WMU as a
researcher or trainee who aims to be a specialist. At MTC they study practical subjects
inside or outside the College and have training with simulators and experimental
facilities.
At the second stage they gain and learn the basic technology and skills
for a specialist in a large training ship of IST. When they complete the course they will
be awarded some kind of world-wide license or degree, which should be recognized by IMO.
The person with this license or degree can play an active role as a
licenced specialist in the shipping industry. They can train and teach students in this
field in their countries and will be able to work for a Marine Accident Inquiry.
