CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — With a bold push toward digitalization and global academic alignment, the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), in partnership with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), successfully staged the 2025 Maritime Education and Training (MET) Workshop, MARINA’s first-ever fully paperless event.
Held on 20–21 November 2025, the workshop convened an exceptional network of maritime leaders, scholars, and specialists. Representatives from 79 Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) across the Philippines: university presidents, vice presidents, deans, program heads, and academic directors, gathered to exchange insights with international experts from Croatia, India, Japan, Sweden, and Türkiye.
Strengthening Global Competitiveness
In his keynote address, IAMU Executive Director Prof. Takeshi Nakazawa reminded the overarching goal of the collaboration, underscoring the value of robust international academic cooperation in shaping a new generation of maritime professionals equipped for global challenges.
For the Philippines, Mr. Samuel L. Batalla, Executive Director of the MARINA STCW Office, emphasized MARINA’s mission to ensure that the country’s maritime education remains globally competitive and responsive to a rapidly evolving industry.
Their messages reinforced the goals of the Memorandum of Understanding between MARINA and IAMU, which focuses on elevating Philippine MET programs, particularly BSMT, BSMarE, and postgraduate studies, through expert guidance, capacity-building efforts, and sustained knowledge-sharing initiatives.
A Hub for Innovation and Academic Growth
Across two days, the workshop served as a rich platform for dialogue and professional development. Interactive sessions included the following:
Coaching young academic staff at MET institutions by Damir Zec, Ph.D., Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka, Croatia
WoW BiPSU: Weaving of Worthiness, A Best Practice by Victor C. Cañezo, Jr., EdD, CHRP, President, Biliran Province State University, Philippines
Improving Teaching Competence Through Institutional Research Initiatives by Srđan Žuškin, Ph.D., Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Charting a Course for Excellence: The School Administrator’s Role in Elevating Maritime Education Quality by Sunday Lynn S. Cabanos, Ph.D., Department Head, Academe Assessment Center, University of Cebu – METC, Philippines
Future-Proofing Marine Engineer Competence: Integrating Objective and Collaborative Assessment through Engine Room Simulation by Ismail Çiçek, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Istanbul Technical University, Türkiye
A Participant’s Reflections on the 2024 Capacity Building Program for MET Institutions in Asia and Latin America by Capt. Luis V. Garfin III, MSMM, Dean, College of Maritime Studies, University of Antique, Philippines
Improving MHEI program by using learning sequence and black box workshop, by Mr. Johan Eliasson Ljungklint, Head of Marine Engineering Program, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Charting a Course for Excellence: The School Administrator’s Role in Elevating Quality of Maritime Education by Ms. Presca Lee B. Lugo, MET Standards Supervisor, MARINA STCW Office, Philippines
Experiential Learning for Professional Seafarers to Become Young Academicians by CE Prasanna Kumar Rajakumaran, Associate Professor, School of Marine Engineering & Technology, Indian Maritime University, India
Partnering for Quality: The Role of Regulatory Oversight and External Evaluations in Improving the BSMT and BSMarE Curricula by Mr. Herbert V. Nalupa, MET Standards Supervisor, MARINA STCW Office, Philippines
A Shared Commitment to Excellence
As the discussions concluded, MARINA reaffirmed its commitment to advancing sustainable reforms in maritime education—an effort made stronger through its continued collaboration with IAMU and the active engagement of MET institutions nationwide.
A day before the workshop, MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan met with Prof. Nakazawa to review the Peer-Assisted Evaluation Scheme recently conducted at Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University and Cebu Technological University. Administrator Malaluan emphasized MARINA’s resolve to sustain this global partnership, recognizing its role in cultivating a future-ready maritime workforce, one grounded in knowledge, strengthened by skill, and broadened by international perspective.
A Forward-Looking Milestone
The 2025 MET Workshop stands as a testament to what collaborative leadership can achieve. Now marking a decade of partnership, IAMU and MARINA continue to demonstrate the power of sustained international cooperation. By embracing digitalization, fostering global linkages, and empowering educators, the two institutions are not only elevating academic standards, they are shaping the future of maritime education in the Philippines and beyond.
Report prepared by Herbert Nalupa, MARINA, the Republic of the Philippines
