79June
2022

W M U: T he Road to Swedish Accreditation
T he world of education, just like the maritime
world, is international in its nature, and has become
more so over the last 25 years. T he mobility ofstudents, international recruitment to professional
positions in most industries, and the global natureof research are all contributing factors.
T he signing of the Bologna Declaration in1999 accelerated the process. Education systems
across 49 European countries adopted the same
qualif ications framework and agreed on themutual recognition of the degrees. Increasingly,
countries outside Europe then adopted the same
recognition process: a degree would be recognised
if it is accredited by the appropriate authorities in
the country in which a university is situated.
T he dif ficulty with this for WMU was that, as
an international university and a part of IMO, a
United Nations agency, WMU did not f it into
this emerging system. T he University decided toengage with the authorities in Sweden in order toseek a solution to the issue.
We were conf ident that our academic
programmes were of a high academic quality.
In the interval a Q uality Assurance System wassought and an annual assessment was carriedout by External Examiners. WMU believed,
however, that it was important to launch theprocess of ensuring that our programmes met
the European requirements in terms of structureand documentation. As of the Class of 2013,
the University decided to use the Bolognastandard Diploma Supplements and documented
the programmes in the required manner, with
Intended Learning O utcomes developed for eachsubject in each programme.
In 2013, the Board of Governors approved
the funding necessary to undergo a European

accreditation assessment by the German
accreditation agency ZEvA (Zentrale Evaluationsund Akkreditierungsagentur H annover/ Central
Evaluation and Accreditation Agency H anover).
A self-evaluation report was submitted to ZEvA
in 2014, and an Expert Panel visited WMU inearly 2015. In mid-May WMU received ZEvA’s
decision accrediting both the PhD and the MSc
programmes, accrediting WMU’s programmes
unconditionally until 30 November 2020.
In June 2015, I took up the position of President
at WMU. I was delighted to know that the f irst
major step towards general recognition of ourdegrees had been accomplished. My f irst priority
was to take forward the matter of accreditationby the Swedish authorities. At the same time,
I began discussions with the Governments of

IMO member States to consider whether national
legislation which insisted on accreditation by theappropriate authorities in the country in which auniversity is situated could be waived in the uniquecase of the World Maritime University. W hile I
had some considerable success, the process was sotime-consuming that it was not a viable alternative
to accreditation by the Swedish authorities. On
this matter, I had tremendous support from boththe Board of Governors and the Executive Board,
and with the help of the Swedish Governor, I
was able to engage in fruitful discussions withmembers of the Government, particularly the
Minister for Infrastructure, Mr. Tomas Eneroth,
who championed the University throughout thisprocess, and his colleagues at the Ministry of
Education and Research.

Continued on next page

Between 2016 and 2019, I met with politicians,
civil servants, and members of the academic
community. Across the board, I was met withwarmth, support, advice, and assistance, and I would
like to thank everyone involved from the bottom of
my heart.
In due course, we were told that we would bepermitted to make an application for degreeawarding powers under the Swedish system.
T he complete applications were submitted on 14
October 2019, and on 28 May 2020, the University
was formally informed that the applications had
been sent to the Swedish H igher Education
Authority (UKÄ). From this date onwards, things
started to move quickly. On 8 July 2020, we received
from the UKÄ the proposed constitution of theAssessment Panel and the information that a site
visit by Zoom was planned for 13 and 14 October
2020. (I should also note here that an application to
ZEvA for re-accreditation was made in parallel, andthe programmes were unconditionally re-accredited
for six years, until 2026.)
On 27 November 2020, the University received
a response from the UKÄ indicating that theAssessment Panel recommended that UKÄ hadproposed to the Swedish Government that theWorld Maritime University be given permission
to issue both a PhD and an MSc in the f ieldof maritime studies. T he two programmes wererated as “satisfactory” in each and every elementof the assessment. On 23 December 2020, therecommendation for accreditation of both degrees
was forwarded to the Government by the UKÄ –perhaps the best Christmas present ever received by
the University!
At this point, the Government of Sweden
moved forward with the change in the national
legislation that was necessary in order that the UKÄrecommendation could be implemented. T he legalamendment was drawn up and went through theconsultative procedures required under the Swedish
Constitution. On 1 December 2021, WMU
accreditation was formally debated in the Swedish
Parliament. T he accreditation motion before theParliament was passed with overwhelming support:
283 voted in favour of the amendment, with only 24
against it and 42 abstentions. T he revised legislation
permitted IMO, through WMU, to award degrees

At the inauguration of the WMU-Sasakawa Global
Ocean Institute, 2018accredited by Sweden from 1 January 2022.
T his success was achieved only by the cooperationof the whole WMU community – staf fand faculty,
governing bodies, and senior management. It will
have a signif icant impact on WMU students whowill be able to obtain recognition for their degrees incountries all over the world. But most of all, I would
like to thank the Government of Sweden, our hostcountry, which gave WMU unprecedented support
throughout the process. H eja Sverige – och tack så
mycket!

CongratulatoryMessagefrom
ChairmanSasakawa onWMU’sAccreditation
bytheSwedishGovernment
O n W M U’s recently being granted accreditation by the Swedish government, I would like to of ef r my congratulations to you, the faculty and staf fof the university, and W MU alumni around the world.
T his accreditation recognizes W MU as a world-class postgraduate university, whose degree-granting powers are
now recognized not only among developing and EU countries but throughout the world.
It is the result of untiring work on behalf of the faculty and staf fto steadily raise academic research levels, the rapid
enhancement of research and educational environments under your strong leadership since assuming the presidency,
and the robust nature of your collaborative partnership with the chancellor.
Looking back on W M U’s earliest days, with its f ive courses, I remember having the impression that it would be asomewhat vocational oriented university for the training of maritime specialists and elite administrators. Now, as auniversity where the deepest investigations are carried out not only in maritime f ields but on wider ocean issues as
well, across ten specializations, it has become a unique institution of the highest research and educational standards.
W hile this recognition will of course increase even further the pride of W MU graduates around the world in theiralma mater, I am sure it will also serve in future as a prime motivating factor for each country’s most promising
students to apply for entry.
In fullest agreement with your university’s mission of f in ding solutions to ocean problems and sharing them withthe world, along with increasing international understanding through the fostering of friendships among your students, it is my fervent wish that W MU continue its successful development, informed by these high-minded ideals.

Yohei Sasakawa
C hairman, Friends of W M U Japan
April 15th 2022
2

W M U D elivers C losing-the-Circle Conferencein Eastern C aribbean
From 4-7 April, a high level Conference took
place in Dominica on the topic of Identifying Regional Challenges and O pportunities to Address
the Issue of Marine Debris, Sargassum and Marine
Spatial Planning. T he conference also explored thespecial needs of Small Island Developing States inlight of the global pandemic, biodiversity loss andthe climate emergency.
T he Conference was delivered by the World
Maritime University (WM U) - Sasakawa Global
Ocean Institute (GOI) and conducted in partnership with the O rganisation of Eastern Caribbean
States (O ECS) and with the generous support ofT he Nippon Foundation. T h
is inter-sectoral Conference brought together senior key stakeholders in
the region including the President and the Prime
Minister Commonwealth of Dominica who delivered keynote speeches, the International Maritime
O rganization (IMO ), the International O ceanographic Commission (IOC) the United Nations
Educational, Scientif ic and Cultural Organization(UNESCO), the United Nations Environmental
Programme (UNEP), other UN Funds, Agencies
and Programmes as well as regional organizations,academic institutions and civil society.
T he President of Dominica, H .E. Charles Savarin
formally opened the Conference at the Jungle Bay
Ecological Retreat (see picture). W ithin the context of WMU’s climate resilience initiatives, he welcomed the focus on the protection of our oceans andthe need to preserve the abundance of life within it
to secure the socio-economic wellbeing of future
generations. H e particularly welcomed home, Dr.
Cleopatra Doumbia-H enry, the President of theWorld Maritime University, who is a daughter ofthe soil and a distinguished Dominican.
T he formal proceedings were set in motion by
H .E. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime M inister of theCommonwealth of D ominica, who delivered theopening keynote address and welcomed the focus
on the conservation of the oceans and the needto conserve the profusion of life within them toensure the socio-economic well-being of future
generations. H e also discussed several ways toidentify the regional challenges that small island
countries face and spoke passionately regarding
the developmental agenda for future action andcollaborations.
T he Conference sessions followed four thematicstrands of research and engagements, namely: Science and Technology, Blue Green Responses, Societal Awareness, and Blue Skies and Clean Seas.
T he conference also featured keynotes by Dr. Carla
Barnett Secretary-General of CARICOM , as well
as by Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of O ECS.
T he second day of the Conference was opened by
the distinguished medical doctor and politician, Dr.
Kenneth Darroux, Minister of Foreign Af fairs, International Business and Diaspora Relations. In his
address, he spoke about the threats posed to small
island communities by the loss of marine biodiversity, the climate emergency and the COVID-19
pandemic. H e welcomed the work underway at theWorld Maritime University (WMU) - Sasakawa
Global O cean Institute.
In her address, President of WM U, D r. Cleopatra Doumbia-H enry, expressed her appreciationand pride regarding the conference being hosted
in her home country. She said that facing a future,
the only certainty of which is change, means that
Small Island Developing States will continue to be
confronted with challenges and dif ficulties – some
intrinsic and timeless, others extrinsic and new. It
will be necessary to make progress towards sustainable living and sustainable development. H owever,small island countries have a record of thriving
in challenging times. She ended her address withthese words:
3”T h
is tremendous Conference has given me greathope. W ith initiatives such as this, I am very positive that we can change our ways and behaviors fora better future. I am conf ident that this new generation of PhD scholars and experts who we aretraining from the region will have the knowledge
and skills to meet the existential challenges thecountries in the region are facing”.
Dr. Doumbia-H enry also paid tribute to the entire team at the WMU-Sasakawa-Global Ocean
Institute led by Professor Ronán Long, as well as
the Closing T he Circle Research Group under the
direction of Dr. Aleke Stöfen-O’Brien. T he Conference was delivered in hybrid format on site in
Dominica at the Jungle Bay Resort with a world
leading team of experts from the region and the
WMU-Sasakawa-Global O cean Institute and a
global virtual audience of 222 registered participants from over 40 countries representing a wide
range of sectors as Governments, Academia, Industry, UN entities and intergovernmental organizations (IGO ), non-governmental organizations(NGO ) as well as Philanthropic Foundations, andCivil Society. T he gender representation of the
speakers and audience was close to 50/50.
In his closing remarks, Dr. H ide Sakaguchi, President of the O cean Policy Research Institute of
the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF), said that
he would convey the immense success of the programme and the key messages from the conference,with a view to taking them forward in other global
processes concerned with Ocean Af fairs and theLaw of the Sea.

World Maritime University Staf f

O ur H opes, O ur T houghts, and O ur Resolve Towards
O ur O cean Conference 2022
T he O ur O cean Conference (O O C) is an international conference initiated in 2014 under theleadership of John F. Kerry, then-U.S. Secretaryof State under the O bama administration. Governments and non-governmental organizations,
including NG O s, international organizations, andprivate sectors, each deliver their voluntary commitments toward the conservation and sustainable
use of our ocean and engage in dialogues aroundsix key thematic areas: the ocean and climate crisis, sustainable f isheries, blue economy, marine
protected areas, maritime security, and marine
pollution.
T he sixth O O C took place in Norway in O ctober 2019. T he seventh meeting was supposed
to take place in Palau in August 2020; however,this was repeatedly postponed due to COVID-19.
It was f inally held in Palau on April 14 and 15,2022, in a face-to-face format. M ore than 600
people from 70 governments and 150 non-governmental organizations gathered in Palau, a small
island developing state with a population of lessthan 20,000. T he Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation have been cooperating
since the former President of Palau, T homas Remengesau Jr’s administration, helping to renovate
infrastructure and develop the programs to ensure
the success of the conference.
T his O O C held in Palau was unique in three
ways: 1) Balancing economic recoveries from the
COVID-19 and ocean conservation; 2) Climate
crisis measures and actions that utilize the ocean
and the coast; and 3) T he presence of youth leaders. For small island states and developing coastal
countries, where ocean-based tourism and f isheries are important sources of income, the impact ofthe prolonged pandemic on tourism has worsened
the economic situation, and discussions were centered on how to increase production from the sea
to protect people and their livelihoods, as well as
preserving the ocean. T he phrase “protect, produce,

Youth Leadership Summit participants together with members of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.

and prosper” was used several times, in line withthe main theme of the conference: O ur Ocean,O ur People, O ur Prosperity.
Amid calls for urgent action in response to theclimate crisis, the importance of the conservation
and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems and coral reefs was raised as a priority by islanders. T his
will lead to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the strengthening of the resilience ofcoastal communities through these ef of rts wereemphasized as the foundation towards a sustainable blue economy, especially for the island andcoastal countries on the frontlines of the climate
crisis.
T he Youth Leadership Summit was attended bynearly 50 young people from Palau and around theworld. Unlike previous cases, this conference wasunique in that youth were able to participate in theplenary sessions, and one youth participated as apanelist on many of the six main thematic areas.
O ne of the youth delegates made a strong statement that a task force will be formed to pass thetorch from past Youth Leadership Summit participants to future participants of the conference.
In addition to the O ur O cean plenary session,
the Sasakawa Peace Foundation hosted the Pacif ic
Island Blue Economy Roundtable with the G ov-

ernment of Palau on April 11, and collaborated on
the Small Island Developing States G lobal Business Network Forum 2022 organized by the government of Palau and UN-O H RLLS on April
12. We believe that the discussions and collaboration with the G overnment of Palau, including
President Surangel W hipps Jr. and many otherpartners, which made the conference possible, will
be of great asset to SPF staf fin the future. O n theother hand, it is our task to continue discussions
on how we can translate what we have discussed
into action, and what kind of research is neededto achieve this.
We hope that this article will give you a glimpseof the O ur O cean Conference. You can watch theplenary sessions at https://ourocean2022.pw/,
which provides you with material for discussion
with your friends and colleagues around you. We
hope that you will join us in working together forthe conservation and sustainable use of the oceans
and the realization of a Blue Economy.
Sulang and thank you!

D r. Atsushi Watanabe
Senior Research Fellow, SPF
D r. Masanori Kobayashi
Senior Research Fellow, SPF

Chairman Sasakawa’s Video M essage
Alii, G ood afternoon, Your Excellency, Surangel W hipps Jr., President, Republic of Palau, Your
Excellency Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries, and the Environment, T he H onorable
John Kerry, United States Special Presidential
Envoy for Climate, Excellencies, distinguisheddelegates and participants and dear friends of Palau. I would like to express my admiration to theoutstanding leadership of President W hipps andFormer President Remengesau, and the total commitment of the people of Palau and all involved in
hosting this important “O ur O cean Conference”,
as an in-person event, despite the dif ficulties of
having to confront COVID-19 pandemic.
T he ocean which is a public asset of mankind
is facing serious problems such as acidif ication,

contamination by chemicals, and ocean debris. I
be-lieve that the ocean crisis is none other thana crisis of the survival of humankind. In the past,these global ocean issues were handled mainly by
the big powers. But, to our delight the Republic of
Palau, one of the f irst island nations to be af fected by the worsening ocean environment, has now
been asserting signif icant leadership. It is Palau
that has proposed extraordinary ideas such as thedevelopment of sustainable blue economy and thecreation of marine sanctuary for the preservation of
the ocean and now hosts the seventh O ur O cean
Conference. I am very happy to see that the presence of Palau is gaining importance in the world.
T he oceans must be leveraged with discipline andin a peaceful manner so as to pass on sustainable
4and healthy oceans for thousand years into the
future. For that, T he Nippon Foundation will continue to cooperate with Palau, a country tightly
bonded like brothers both with Japan and throughhistory. T hank you very much.

Updates from Sasakawa Fellows
Insights from Jordan: COVID -19 Measuresin the Maritime Sector of My Country
Enas Nadi Al-Mahariq(Jordan, 2019)T he COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionarily changed our lives. Everyone wishes to restore
their lives to how they were before. H owever, somefundamental questions that remain chronically inpeople’s minds are: W ill the post-COVID era haveremnants of the past? W ill the pandemic be overanytime soon?
In terms of working in maritime administration,
my organization ( Jordan Maritime Commission),
located in Aqaba City, south of Jordan, has reacted
to the pandemic ef ef ctively. Since 18th of March,
2020, the Jordanian government activated the
National Defense Law and imposed a complete
lockdown. We were told to work remotely, and we
had many emergency plans as back up in case ofbusiness failure.
It was necessary to look on with a positive viewin response to all these expeditious changes and incomplying with emergency plans. Moreover, I had
to think about how I can contribute as a head ofplanning and institutional performance development unit to support my organization, and to thebenef it of the Jordanian maritime sector.
In respect to seafarer crisis during the pandemic –I was actually inspired by the guidelines provided by

the international maritime community for seafarers
and the port community, based on international
guidance such as the circulars that were issued by
the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).
I prepared a series of guidelines. T he f irst one wasfor the actions taken by JMC for all workers in themaritime transport sector in Jordan as well as for
seafarers onboard ships f lying the Jordanian f lag forthe year 2020. T he second one was the guidelines
for precautionary COVID-19 procedures for all
workers within the maritime transport sector in the
H ashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and onboard ships
f lying the Jordanian f lag in 2020.
T hese initiatives had a good impact and healthy
regime on the work environment of JMC that followed next on JMC in cooperation with related entities ( Jordanian Maritime Stakeholders). T his diligent work has continued on as we completed theissuance of a series of protocols, such as a protocol
for organizing procedures and addressing the pandemic. Another example is the protocol to be followed in cases there are suspicions of COVID-19
infections onboard a ship calling to the Port of
Aqaba. Finally, in response to IMO calling to resolve the seafarer crisis, JMC has issued a protocolthat deals with crew change in the Port of Aqaba.
Nevertheless, how do we coexist with the
COVID-19 pandemic as well as we can, while nothiding from it? T he world adapted with technology, so resilience has happened. In the maritime
education and training aspect, the days of being
physically present for studying or training are gone.
T his is exactly how the Jordan Academy for Mar-

itime Studies ( JAMS) aimed to coexist with the
pandemic. JAMS has launched its electronic platform for remote maritime education and training,holding lectures digitally to avoid physical contact
and keep the applicants for maritime studies (seafarers), who are preparing for their requirements,
as safe as possible.
For this reason, I considered now the perfecttime to seize a fundamental opportunity, and applied for a part-time lecturer job. T hen, JAMS recruited me as part-time lecturer to do Maritime
Law remotely, far away from the academy. In mypoint of view, this is to become a signif icant milestone in my career.
In conclusion, due to so many similarly dif ficult
circumstances, it is never easy - especially when
you are trying to contribute ef fectively to yourwork environment, your country, and the international maritime sector, all in balance with developing your career, which sets the bar high and makes
thing even more challenging! H owever, I intend to
do nothing but the best.

Undervaluation of Seafarers and the Way Forward
for the M aritime Industry
Peter U. Ohagwa(Nigeria, 2022)

Maritime transportation is an essential instrument for global trade as it connects producers,
manufacturers, and consumers internationally(Cicek et al., 2019). T he United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2019 stated: “O ver 90% of world commerce takes
place through the ocean.” Suf fice it to say that the
majority of activities surrounding world trade arebeing made possible through maritime transportation; thus the maritime industry’s importancecannot be overemphasized.
T he maritime industry needs to address the undervaluation of seafarers due to poor visibility ofthe shipping industry in the world, also known as
sea blindness. According to G eorge (2013): “Ship-

Maritime industry overview. Source: Northeast Maritime Institute(https://www.northeastmaritime.com/blog/what-is-the-maritime-industry/)

ping is an invisible industry which brings you 90%
of everything.” For example, people can recognize
a company like Microsoft Corporation faster thanthey can recognize M aersk Line, which is one ofthe oldest and biggest shipping companies in theworld. Behind shipping are dedicated human beings who work tirelessly and mostly in unfriendly
conditions to ensure the success of global trade,
and whose contributions are not properly recog-

nized and appreciated.
T he non-recognition of seafarers as key workers by most countries is a big challenge. T his wasevident at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
when most countries shut their borders to seafarers. As of M ay 2021, out of the 174 International M aritime Organization (IM O ) M ember
States, only 55 States have recognized seafarers
as essential workers (Bailey et al., 2021). T his isContinued on next page5

Updates fromproof that seafarers’contributions are not properly
recognized yet, and could impair the human sustainability ef forts of the maritime industry. T here
seems to be more attention on the business aspectof the maritime industry than on the human aspect—especially the seafarers, whose role is crucial.
T he plight of seafarers does not attract much public attention when compared with their aviation
counterparts. Swift (2013) stated: “Sailors suf ef r
extreme violence at the hands of pirates but theroot of their problem is less headline-grabbing”.
ACT IO NS N EED ED FRO M T H E M ARIT IM E IND UST RY AND STAKEH O LD ERS
Seafarers working onboard. Source: Odomankoma Maritime News Portal

SH O RT-TERM :(https://odomankoma.com/2022/04/15/ilo-and-imo-call-for-urgent-action-on-seafarers-stranded-inIt is high time the M LC 2006 and STCW Con- ukraine-following-russian-aggression/)
ventions are reviewed so as to recognize seafarers
as key workers who are essential to M ember States. farers, should be monitored by maritime industry dustry should be addressed through the creation
T his will go a long way in addressing the issue of stakeholders, particularly IMO. T his is very im- of suf ficient awareness by industry stakeholders
undervaluation and underestimation of seafarers.
portant because some maritime entities/compa- via their respective governments. Suf fice to say,nies take undue advantage of workers due to poor “Shipping IS world trade - no shipping, no world
M ID-TERM:
enforcement of rights and inadequate monitoring. trade.” We have a sector that is absolutely essential
T he resources allocated for the security, safeto the world; accordingly, the people inside shouldty, wellbeing, development, and rights of people
LO NG -T ERM :be visible and properly recognized.
engaged in the maritime industry, especially seaT he issue of poor visibility of the maritime in-

G reetings from Norway
Sadaharu Koga (Japan, 2015)

H i, this is Sadaharu Koga, a Japanese Sasakawa-Fellow from the Class of 2015. After graduating from W M U in 2015, I returned to Tokyoand resumed my career in the M inistry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Since then, I had been involved in jobs in a variety of international fora, such as negotiations
for regulations on environmental protection in
IM O as well as for bilateral Economic Partnership Agreement between Japan and the EU. M yexperience in W M U has helped me greatly inthese roles.
In M ay 2020, in the middle of the COVID -19
pandemic, I moved from Tokyo to O slo. T his waswhen I started my life as a diplomat in the Japanese Embassy in Norway, with O slo becoming
my second Nordic hometown after M almö, Swe-

Cross-country skiing in snowy mountainsden.
W hile the population
is just over f ive million,
Norway is economically
blessed thanks to the income from its fossil fuelresources extracted fromits continental shelf. T hat being said, both theNorwegian government and the private sector are
actively investing in clean energy and aiming totake a leading role in the global green transition.
Fisheries are another major industry of thiscountry. In fact, a large proportion of the salmon
and mackerel consumed in Japan are imported
from Norway.
In terms of my job duties, in the last two years,
there were very limited opportunities to interact
with people face-to-face due to the restriction
measures against COVID -19 H owever, despite
the restricted contact through online meetings,
many of my Norwegian partners, who have madeef of rts to reach out and communicate with me
constructively and amiably, helped ease my transition so I can comfortably work even throughsuch dif ficult times.
It wasn’t just my Norwegian friends who gave
me a warm reception; the great nature of Norway
welcomed me and my family with open arms. As
you may already know, Norway is a country with
6

Family photo with a beautiful Fjord backdrop

a beautiful and breathtaking natural scenery. T hemost famous example, I believe, is the f jord landscape. Fjords are long, narrow coves with steep
sides or clif fs created by glaciers. T he colorful
wooden houses lined up beside the water also add
a charming touch to the view.
It is no wonder Norwegian people love theirnature. In summer, they visit the beach (eventhough the water is too cold for me to swim in)and enjoy holding barbecues by the lake. In winter, they challenge the mountains in cross-country skiing adventures. As the snow is everywhere
during this cold season, even people who live inthe center of O slo can partake in skiing by traveling a mere 20 minutes from home via train.
Now, the terrible threat of COVID -19 isabout to be a past. After two years of patience,the vibrant Norwegian society is making its
long-awaited return. I truly hope that that is thecase in your country as well, and when it does
happen, let us reconnect countries, joining handin-hand “physically.”Sasakawa Fellows
Following M y Father’s Footsteps
Jean Ver P. Pia (Philippines, 2003)
Atty. Lamberto V. Pia (WMU1987)

T here is an interesting research 1 on the importance of fathers and how they af fect theirdaughters on their academic performance, andas a consequence af ef ct career success and f in ancial well-being. In retrospect, nowhere is thistruer on how my father have a positive impact
in my educational, vocational and career path.
T his is demonstrated below on how similarly
our careers have unfolded.
M y father has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and graduated from law school in1970 and was the 13th placer in the 1971 Bar
Examination. I also have a bachelor’s degree in
Political Science from the same university where
my father studied and is a lawyer similar to myfather.
Coming from a poor family, my father worked
odd jobs to f in ance his studies. I was also aworking student while I was in law school as
my father’s conf id ential secretary when he was
D eputy Administrator for O perations at the
M aritime Industry Authority (M ARINA).
T his was my f irst work since 1994 and my father became my mentor in work. H e served in
the public sector for three decades with utmost
diligence, excellence and integrity. T his is something that I have tried to emulate ever sincealways remembering my father telling me that“our good name is our wealth”.
M y father studied at the World M aritime University (W M U) in Sweden graduating in 1987
with an M Sc in M aritime Af fairs (G eneral M aritime Administration). H is studies were fundedby G ermany - Carl D uisburg G esellschaft. H e
was given the honor of delivering the remarks
on behalf of the graduating class of 1987 as Student C ouncil President. O n the other hand, I
studied at W M U in 2002, f ifteen years after myfather graduated, funded by the Sasakawa Fellowship of Japan. I graduated in 2003 with an
M Sc in M aritime Af fairs (M aritime Administration). I was Student Council Secretary. We
might be the only father-daughter graduates in
W M U; indeed, a rare occurrence. M y father wasconsidered an adopted fellow and always invited
to Sasakawa Fellow events.
After my graduation in W M U, I was promoted to Legal O f ficer. After a few years, my father,having reached the mandatory age, retired in
2005. W hile I continued working at the M ARINA as Attorney V, my father became a legal
consultant at a shipping company. I continued
to update my father in the developments in theof fice, and the work we do which is also helpful in his consultation work. T hrough the years,
I became used to people who miss him asking
how he is and conveying to him their goodwishes and kind words.
Subsequently, I studied in Cardif f University,
UK for my PhD funded by the Nippon Foundation. H is wise advice to be like our nationalhero, D r. Jose Rizal, made me overcome the diff iculty of writing and to graduate in 2017. O fcourse, my proud dad witnessed the happy event
in Cardif .f
As my responsibilities increased when I was

At Cardiff University on 21 July 2017 during mygraduation.

appointed in 2015 as D irector, my father continued to be an inspiration, always sharing what
he did as D irector in M ARINA. T hrough thetough times, my father always reminded me “toaim high and to hit high” and to try harder. In
his words, “If others can do it, you can do better.”O n 12 June 2020, during the height of the
COVID -19 pandemic, I had been designated as
O IC-D eputy Executive D irector of the STC W
O f fice and afterwards O IC-D eputy Administrator for Planning. T his must be the closest I
got to a high-level position in M ARINA. M yfather was a political appointee serving three
Presidents successively while my stint was only
temporary.
C urrently, I am appointed as M aritime Attaché and posted at the Philippine E mbassy in
London. M y father is now retired at 85 years
old and is still up and about, tending our mango
and dragon fruit farm in the Philippines andtaking care of his grandchildren.
From the above description of our parallel
universe, the values that my father taught me
encouraged me to pursue my professional development similar to his. Working together
and participating in many activities together
have truly forged a signif icant bond between us.
W hen I asked my father to comment on our life
adventures together, this is what he said:“O f course, as a father, I feel proud andhappy for m y children’s achievem ents - Ver
John is a doctor, Ian Ver is a com puter engineer and is now based in Alberta, C anada.
M y two daughters, Jean Ver and Jessehan arelawyers. I have 7 healthy grandchildren. I
cannot ask for anything m ore.
“I am especially thankful for the scholDuring the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of my parents last 6 June 2021 at the Pia Farm.

Continued on next page

1 Zia, et al (2015), “Father and daughter relationship and its impact on daughter’s self-esteem and academic achievement”, Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Vol. 4, No. 1

7

Following M y Father’s Footsteps
arship given to Jean in W M U and C ardif f your Foundation is doing to students com ing
U niversity by the Sasakawa and N ippon from developing countries who deserve to be
Foundation. She has reached her dream of given a chance to enhance their knowledge
attaining not only a masteral but a doctor- and skill to be able to give back as im proved
al degree as well. We cannot af of rd to send service to our governm ent. Jean is now apher overseas for her post- graduate studies pointed to a very prestigious position in the
but she was given a once in a lifetim e op- P hilippine E m bassy in L ondon. Although
portunity by the ever gracious and m agnan- we miss her company, we are very proud of
imous M r. Sasakawa. W ith heartfelt thanks her.”and gratitude, my family is happy for what

As you all know, the people of Ukraine are in a terrible situation.
Ever since the conf lict began, we, the Friends of WMU, Japan
Secretariat, had been extremely worried about the wellbeing andsafety of our 5 Ukrainian Sasakawa Fellows.
By May 3rd, we had heard from Ms. Victoria N. Radchenko (2001),
Ms. Anna Rabotnova Dobrovynska (2012), Ms. Nadiya Sergiyivna
Isikova (2012), Mr. Igor Pishenin (2013), and Ms. Svitlana Shestova(2021). T heir emails included details of a very personal nature on
their current situation, which we will refrain from disclosing in thisNewsletter. Ultimately, we want to relay that as of May, we haveconf irmed that all 5 Fellows are safe. H owever, the current situation
changes by the second. T herefore, we will try to keep in continuous
contact with them.
T he other day, Chairman Sasakawa wrote the following message forthe people of Ukraine:

T hank You
for Your Cooperation!

H ello readers! I am Koji Murai of the Tokyo University of Marine
Science and Technology, and I am the newly appointed H ead of the
Friends of W MU, Japan Newsletter Editing Committee.
In assuming this role as H ead of the Newsletter - a culmination of
the ef forts of the many people before me, including my predecessor,
D r. Yoshiaki Kunieda - I aim to work together with not only the Secretariat but all Friends of WMU to produce an even better Newsletter. I hope that I can ask for your continued support and cooperation
moving forward.
H aving met Professor Clive Cole and many other W MU professors
and colleagues from around the world, albeit brief ly, at ESSP2004, I
feel a sense of familiarity with the University. In fact, I am still carryingout research and academic activities with friends I made from thosedays. W ith commemorative photographs of my professors, classmates,
and myself from back then, I would like to of ficially mark the start of“I am deeply saddened by the current national crisis in Ukraine.
T he Nippon Foundation, ahead of the Japanese Government, haslaunched a project to provide assistance to those in need in your country. We
hope this ef fort can help in any capacity. Please see the following website
for further information on this: https://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/
en/news/articles/2022/20220328-69127.html
I sincerely hope that you and all your loved ones are safe.”
Lastly, Ms. Rabotnova Dobrvynska gave us information on the
SUNRISE UKRAINE Charitable Foundation, an organization
providing humanitarian help. We hope you will consider looking intoand supporting their activities. https://www.wmujapan.net/globaldata/20220614143147157.pdf
W hen you feel the time is right, please send the Fellows yoursupport and encouragement. You can f in d their email addresses on
the Friends of WMU, Japan Directory.
Secretariat

We are happy to say that we have now moved on from sending reminders about the Newsletter survey. As of now, we have collected 135
responses, both by post and email. T his is a very encouraging number
and we were excited to hear so much feedback, whether they were supportive or critical. Please look forward to seeing the results in an upcoming W M U Newsletter. Until then, wonderful surveyees, please know you
have our bottomless gratitude!

Dr. Koji Murai

my relationship with the Friends of WMU. I intend to do my best,
and welcome the Newsletter’s 100th commemorative edition as myeventual goal.
I look forward to working with you all.
Dr. Koji Murai
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology

T his newsletter is published under a grant from T he Nippon Foundation
to promote communication among the Sasakawa Fellows of WMU (World Maritime University)and edited by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in cooperation with Dr. Koji Murai
Ms. Maki Tominaga, Ms. Marika Nishimuro, Mr. Eisuke Kudo and Ms. Sue Jackson.
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, T he Sasakawa Peace Foundation
T he Sasakawa Peace Foudation Bldg., 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8524 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-5157-5263 Fax: +81-(0)3-5157-5230 URL: http://www.spf.org/en/