The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), in a robust partnership with the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU), successfully concluded the 2025 Maritime Education and Training (MET) Workshop on November 20-21, 2025. The two-day event gathered a distinguished assembly of leaders, experts, and educators from 79 Philippine Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) and international specialists to collaboratively advance the future of maritime education in the Philippines.
The workshop underscored the shared commitment of MARINA and IAMU to enhance academic quality, strengthen teaching methodologies, and ensure that Philippine MET programs are fully aligned with the highest global standards. Attendees included university presidents, vice presidents, deans, and program heads who engaged directly with distinguished international maritime professors from nations including Croatia, India, Japan, Sweden, and Türkiye.
Mr. Samuel L. Batalla, Executive Director of the MARINA STCW Office, delivered a keynote emphasizing the agency’s dedication to maintaining the global competitiveness and industry responsiveness of the country’s maritime education. Reinforcing this vision, IAMU Executive Director Prof. Takeshi Nakazawa highlighted the crucial role of global academic cooperation in developing the next generation of maritime professionals.
The collaboration, formalized under a Memorandum of Understanding, aims to provide expert academic guidance and capacity-building support to Philippine MHEIs. The workshop served as a concrete step toward this goal, facilitating direct knowledge exchange on critical areas:
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Professional Development: Coaching and development strategies for young academic staff.
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Instructional Innovation: Enhancing teaching competence through research-driven instruction, integration of simulation, and assessment innovations.
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Institutional Best Practices: Improving student support, utilizing digital learning systems, and strengthening regulatory oversight.
A day prior to the main event, MARINA Administrator Sonia B. Malaluan met with IAMU Executive Director Nakazawa to discuss the outcomes of the Peer-Assisted Evaluation Scheme conducted at Zamboanga Peninsula Polytechnic State University and Cebu Technological University. Administrator Malaluan reaffirmed her commitment to sustaining the collaboration, emphasizing that the partnership is vital for developing a “future-ready maritime workforce” equipped with the global perspective needed for a dynamic maritime industry.
As the workshop concluded, MARINA expressed profound gratitude to IAMU for its steadfast support and to all participating institutions. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to driving sustainable, research-driven improvements in maritime education, ensuring Filipino maritime graduates continue to excel on the global stage.
