WMU Graduation
WMU Graduation Ceremony 2020
Maritime leaders of tomorrow from 79 countries have graduated from the World Maritime University (WMU) in the Class of 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, four small graduation ceremonies were held at WMU over the weekend of 31 October and 1 November to honour the graduates. They are now well-prepared to promote safe, secure, environmentally sound, efficient, and sustainable shipping on clean oceans in their home countries and internationally.
WMU President Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry delivered the welcoming remarks, noting that the Class of 2020 will always be remembered for their strength and resilience in pursuing and completing their studies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized the important role the graduates will play in the rebuilding process, saying, “We will all rely on you to lead the way into the future. You are the citizens of our globalized world. Its future is in your hands.”
In a pre-recorded address, HE Mr Kitack Lim, the first International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor to hold a MSc degree from WMU, thanked the City of Malmö and the Government of Sweden for their continued generosity and support in hosting the University, as well as the many donors for their ongoing commitment to the WMU mission and its sustainability. From the perspective of being a WMU graduate himself, Mr Lim remarked that the WMU experience will have a profound impact on the lives of the graduates. The Guest of Honour was Ms Carina Nilsson, Chairperson of the Malmö City Council and Mayor of Malmö, who spoke in her pre-recorded address of the pride of the City in hosting the University and in their unique, shared partnership.
The graduating Class of 2020 comprises 226 Graduates from 79 countries. Roughly a third of the graduates are women. The Class of 2020 includes 116 MSc graduates from university headquarters in Malmö; 46 graduates from the China programmes; one PhD graduate; and 63 graduates from the distance learning programmes. The 2020 graduation ceremonies bring the total number of WMU graduates to 5,392 from 170 countries.
At one of this year’s graduation ceremonies, the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) was awarded to Ms Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica in recognition of her outstanding service to the international and oceans communities and the United Nations at the highest level of national and international policy-making and multilateral negotiations.
Outstanding Alumnus Awards were presented to:
• His Excellency Dato’ Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia (Sasakawa Fellow; MSc in 2001 and PhD in 2011), in recognition of his long and distinguished career in the service of the Government of Malaysia and his work to build international cooperation regarding maritime-related issues through constructive dialogue.
• Mr Zhang Xiaojie of the People’s Republic of China (Sasakawa Fellow; MSc in Maritime Affairs in 1999), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the international maritime community and most recently as Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Transport, People’s Republic of China since 2012 and as Chair of the IMO Council since 2017.
• Professor Nalaka Jayakody of Sri Lanka (MSc in Maritime Affairs in 2001), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the highest standards in maritime education, his devotion to realizing the vision of making Sri Lanka a maritime and knowledge hub for the region, and his concern for the welfare of seafarers.
Two Honorary Fellow Awards were presented to:
• Ms Maphefo Anno-Frempong of South Africa, in recognition of her distinguished service to the maritime world as Chief Executive Officer of the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) of South Africa
• Mr Paul Sadler of the United Kingdom, in recognition of his distinguished service to the maritime world and in particular to his 12 years as Accredited Representative at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the International Association of Classification Societies and his decade of contribution as a member of the WMU’s Board of Governors.
The following Annual Student Prizes were also presented:
• The Chancellor’s Medal for Academic Excellence: Mr Mohammed Aziem Rujub (South Africa)
• The C P Srivastava Award for International Fellowship: Mr Alexandros Atzas (Greece)
• The Secretary-General’s Prize for the best dissertation: Mohammed Mojahid Hossain Chowdhury (Bangladesh) (Sasakawa Fellow)
• The Schlüter Foundation Dissertation Prize: Mr Ku Byungchurl (Republic of Korea)
Maia Brindley Nilsson
Commnications and Conferences Officer
World Maritime University
WMU President Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry delivered the welcoming remarks, noting that the Class of 2020 will always be remembered for their strength and resilience in pursuing and completing their studies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized the important role the graduates will play in the rebuilding process, saying, “We will all rely on you to lead the way into the future. You are the citizens of our globalized world. Its future is in your hands.”
In a pre-recorded address, HE Mr Kitack Lim, the first International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor to hold a MSc degree from WMU, thanked the City of Malmö and the Government of Sweden for their continued generosity and support in hosting the University, as well as the many donors for their ongoing commitment to the WMU mission and its sustainability. From the perspective of being a WMU graduate himself, Mr Lim remarked that the WMU experience will have a profound impact on the lives of the graduates. The Guest of Honour was Ms Carina Nilsson, Chairperson of the Malmö City Council and Mayor of Malmö, who spoke in her pre-recorded address of the pride of the City in hosting the University and in their unique, shared partnership.
The graduating Class of 2020 comprises 226 Graduates from 79 countries. Roughly a third of the graduates are women. The Class of 2020 includes 116 MSc graduates from university headquarters in Malmö; 46 graduates from the China programmes; one PhD graduate; and 63 graduates from the distance learning programmes. The 2020 graduation ceremonies bring the total number of WMU graduates to 5,392 from 170 countries.
At one of this year’s graduation ceremonies, the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) was awarded to Ms Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica in recognition of her outstanding service to the international and oceans communities and the United Nations at the highest level of national and international policy-making and multilateral negotiations.
Outstanding Alumnus Awards were presented to:
• His Excellency Dato’ Dr. Azfar Mohamad Mustafar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia (Sasakawa Fellow; MSc in 2001 and PhD in 2011), in recognition of his long and distinguished career in the service of the Government of Malaysia and his work to build international cooperation regarding maritime-related issues through constructive dialogue.
• Mr Zhang Xiaojie of the People’s Republic of China (Sasakawa Fellow; MSc in Maritime Affairs in 1999), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the international maritime community and most recently as Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Transport, People’s Republic of China since 2012 and as Chair of the IMO Council since 2017.
• Professor Nalaka Jayakody of Sri Lanka (MSc in Maritime Affairs in 2001), in recognition of his long and distinguished service to the highest standards in maritime education, his devotion to realizing the vision of making Sri Lanka a maritime and knowledge hub for the region, and his concern for the welfare of seafarers.
Two Honorary Fellow Awards were presented to:
• Ms Maphefo Anno-Frempong of South Africa, in recognition of her distinguished service to the maritime world as Chief Executive Officer of the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) of South Africa
• Mr Paul Sadler of the United Kingdom, in recognition of his distinguished service to the maritime world and in particular to his 12 years as Accredited Representative at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the International Association of Classification Societies and his decade of contribution as a member of the WMU’s Board of Governors.
The following Annual Student Prizes were also presented:
• The Chancellor’s Medal for Academic Excellence: Mr Mohammed Aziem Rujub (South Africa)
• The C P Srivastava Award for International Fellowship: Mr Alexandros Atzas (Greece)
• The Secretary-General’s Prize for the best dissertation: Mohammed Mojahid Hossain Chowdhury (Bangladesh) (Sasakawa Fellow)
• The Schlüter Foundation Dissertation Prize: Mr Ku Byungchurl (Republic of Korea)
Maia Brindley Nilsson
Commnications and Conferences Officer
World Maritime University
