In the history of the IAMU, this is the first time the IAMU has brought together early-career faculty members from IAMU member universities to provide a platform to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another through shared dialogue and discussion of relevant academic and professional topics within the IAMU’s global network. The ECAF also provided a unique opportunity to discuss specific topics relevant to the sustainable development of maritime education, training, and research in the era of global change, and to build a new network among those with similar academic status.
The main theme of the forum was “Charting the course of the future of Maritime Education, Training and Research.
36 early career faculty members from 25 countries participated in the forum starting on 13 July. At the opening session, Mr Mitsuyuki Unno delivered the commemorative lecture on “The light and shadow of the Innovation”. Five keynote lectures were followed the Mr Unno’s lecture, namely Dr. Inga Bartusevucuene, Dr. Peggy Chen, Capt. Arvind Natrajan, Dr Salman Nazir and Capt (Aviation) Ryo Tanaka, each of them delivered lectures relevant to their expertise. The participants started their group discussions with specific sub-topics relevant to the main theme afternoon on the first day and continued until early afternoon on the second day.
The forum was concluded with the agreed “ECAF Declaration 2026,” which articulated a number of practical actions for the sustainable development of Maritime Education, Training and Research. The group will implement those actions throughout the year and report their final result by the end of July.
