Jamaica and Panama will strengthen their bi-lateral relationship even more, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) and the International Maritime University of Panama (IMUP) on Monday, October 8, 2018 at the Opening Ceremony of the Caribbean Shipping Association’s 48th Annual General Meeting in Panama. This partnership emerged from the discussions held during the First Meeting of the Jamaica/Panama Joint Commission for Cooperation, which was convened in June 2018 in Panama. The discussions focused on , among other things, how to leverage the strong historical connection between the two countries to advance areas of education, port and maritime development, civil aviation and culture.
The institutional collaboration is just one of the developments coming out of this Commission and is a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening both countries through joint cooperation for the implementation of international maritime conventions and other activities to support the development of the maritime sector in the Western Hemisphere. This will result in capacity building through the exchange of student and faculty as well as joint academic and industry publications and research, which will invariably lead to cultural exchange and enrichment, language diversification among native English and Spanish speakers and greater appreciation for the global nature of maritime trade and education.
Securing Global Certification in Engineering
Specifically, both institutions will collaborate to produce bilingual and marketable industry ready graduates with globally recognized qualifications in marine engineering and industrial systems, among other technical disciplines related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Panamanians, in particular, will be able to benefit from standardized training and certification offered at the world’s largest Festo Authorized and Certified Training (FACT) Centre, recently opened at the CMU headquarters in Kingston Jamaica.
Other projects will include joint research in international maritime issues, such as marine pollution and the control of emission from ships, as well as the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention with the support of the International Maritime Organization. The CMU is an ideal partner, in this regard, since it is recognized by the International Maritime Organization(IMO)as a maritime education and training institution. Itis also the only educational institution in the Caribbean that is certified by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and offers support through consultation to industry players across the region. Joint projects will also include the implementation of international and national standards and laws concerning the safe and efficient operation of the special boats.
A Comprehensive Approach to Partnership
The MOU sets the framework for additional collaboration and will form the basis of a sustained partnership between the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) and the International Maritime University of Panama. This will include joint degrees in Port Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels (which carries international certification from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, UK), training in the areas of maritime welding, naval electricity, mechatronics and robotics (through the FACT Centre), border services management, port development and bilingual tourism projects which will all result in dual certification and recognition for seafarers and maritime professionals.
The UMIP is an autonomous state university with the mandate to administer programmes in accordance with the maritime discipline and technological development of the national, regional and international maritime community through teaching, investigation and extension programmes. CMU is an ISO 9001:2015 certified specialized university – the first of its kind in the Caribbean – designed to meet the growing needs for education and training in the maritime and allied sectors. Both universities have multiple accreditations and globally recognized programme offerings.
