Jiangsu University of Science and Technology (JUST), and Shanghai Maritime University (SMU), are the latest universities to be granted accreditation for their degree courses by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). Demand for marine engineering courses to be accredited by the Institute continues to grow with around 100 academic courses from higher education institutions, as well a number of industry schemes accredited globally.
Gwynne Lewis, chief executive of the IMarEST, says, “Institutions who apply for IMarEST accreditation undergo a rigorous process of assessment to ensure that they meet our high standards and deliver globally recognised qualifications that enable students to start their careers and fulfil their potential to be the future leaders of our profession. The success and employability rates of students who have completed our accredited courses is a testament to the high quality of teaching and the growing demand for marine related roles.”
JUST and SMU join a growing number of higher education institutions within China and the wider APAC region that have sought IMarEST accreditation for their courses, including Dalian Maritime University (China), Harbin Engineering University (China), Ningbo University (China), the Ocean University of China, Singapore Institute of Technology, IPB University (Indonesia), and UniKL MIMET (Malaysia).
In addition to increased interest from universities for accreditation, the IMarEST is also seeing an increase in demand for the Institute’s independent assessment of activities that contribute to continuing professional development (CPD), such as training courses or events being offered by companies from across the entirety of the marine sector.
Lewis concludes, “We work in an ever-evolving sector. New technologies and climate change are bringing new challenges and opportunities and we must support those who are working in the sector by ensuring they have access to high-quality continuing professional development to help them build the skills they need for the future.”
