Page 24: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Jul/Aug 2017)

23 25

INTERVIEW

The number one challenge is (WMU’s) fnancial sustainability. I will not rest until

I have been able to get the university in a position where it can look well into the future and build fnancial reserves that would enable it to have a long-term fnancial perspective, to enable it to grow and to deliver the greatest impact possible for the maritime and ocean industries.” WMU, with fnancial support from the NIPPON Foundation, anticipates starting the Ocean Institute in 2018.

university), it’s another to really know an organization from

A Return to Academia

Following more than three decades of work, including more the inside,” she said.

than 15 years in senior management positions, Dr. Doumbia- One signifcant step forward and one of the most important

Henry was appointed to lead the World Maritime University achievements in terms of fnancial stability – with the support (WMU) in 2015. “I thought I had a pretty good set of skills of the IMO Secretary General and the Board of Governors and I think I’m pretty good at managing people.” of WMU – was establishing an endowment fund. “We have

In addition, she looked at her experience covering all in- launched the endowment fund, and now we must grow it to ternational labor standards around the world in 187 member ensure the fnancial stability and future of the university.”

States of the ILO, and concluded that these years of experi- With the endowment fund box ‘checked,’ she is now focused ence ft nicely with the mission of the United Nations in build- on simultaneously working to energize the WMU alumni as- ing capacity, particularly for developing countries. sociation, and preparing for a global launch, a fund-raising

Any organization comes with challenges, particularly a ‘road show’ by the end of 2017. Here again she will draw en- high-profle international educational organization, and Dr. ergy for the mission courtesy of her belief in the cause. “I see

Doumbia-Henry sought to frst assess both the promise and WMU as charting the course for a better world. Providing the the peril of the position at WMU. best education and research facilities for post graduate stud- “I knew one of the challenges of the university was its long- ies and capacity building for a sustainable maritime industry.” term fnancial sustainability,” she said, “and that remains for

Research: A Building Block me the number one priority; to help the university strengthen its fnancial base so it can have a much longer-term perspec- On June 29, 2017 World Maritime University, Marine Learn- tive than it currently has.” ing Systems (MLS) and New Wave Media signed a Memoran-

While WMU is a child of the IMO, it is not funded by the dum of Understanding to jointly research and produce a compre-

IMO budget; rather it is self-funded. The IMO does contribute hensive study on global maritime training trends and attitudes.

fnancially, but it is not a fxed annual amount. “When you run “The publication that we just signed off is breaking new ground; any business, when you run any institution, one of the main I think this is a study that has never been undertaken, it is innova- concerns is the money to support operations and building re- tive, it is new,” she said. “Seafaring and shipping is not possible serves for the rainy days. So before I started I had to determine without well-trained, well capacitated crew. Shipping is respon- if I had the energy and capacity to go out and do resource sible for 80% of world trade; and as I like to say, without it, half mobilization in a very big way.” of the world would freeze and half of the world would starve.”

Dr. Doumbia-Henry has spent much of the frst two years on “What we signed today is critically important for me because the job thoroughly understanding where the university stood. research is a core part of any academic institution,” Dr. Doumbia- “It’s important to ground yourself before you leap forward. Henry continued. “In my view, as an academic institution we

It’s one thing to have a perspective from the outside (of the have to ‘lift our game’ in the area of maritime research. That’s 24 Maritime Logistics Professional July/August 2017 | |