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Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President, WMU oices working lives of seafarers, making liv- main concerns is the money to support ing and working conditions better, give operations and building reserves for the “ shipowners a level playing ? eld and rainy days. So before I started I had to “The number one challenge is ? nancial sustainability. I will governments a single set of rules of the determine if I had the energy and capac- not rest until I have been able to get the university in a posi- game. That was my mission. I had tre- ity to go out and do resource mobiliza- tion where it can look well into the future and build ? nancial mendous support, and I’m very proud, as tion in a very big way.” reserves that would enable it to have a long-term ? nancial it is one of the best rati? ed in the shortest Dr. Doumbia-Henry has spent much of perspective, to enable it to grow and to deliver the greatest timeframe possible of an ILO instrument the ? rst two years on the job thorough- impact possible for the maritime and ocean industries.” when you consider its wide-ranging ly understanding where the university scope.” stood. “It’s important to ground yourself

The work has paid dividends, and Dr. Committee of Experts began monitor- veloping countries. before you leap forward. It’s one thing

Doumbia-Henry credits Port State Con- ing compliance with the MLC, 2006 in Any organization comes with chal- to have a perspective from the outside trol as being tremendously effective, 2014. lenges, particularly a high-pro? le inter- (of the university), it’s another to really citing the Paris MOU as an example in national educational organization, and know an organization from the inside,”

A Return to Academia recording 17.4% detentions represent- Dr. Doumbia-Henry sought to ? rst as- she said.

ing 113 ships after the ? rst campaign Following more than three decades sess both the promise and the peril of the One signi? cant step forward and one one year after the entry into force of the of work, including more than 15 years position at WMU. of the most important achievements in

Convention. in senior management positions, Dr. “I knew one of the challenges of the terms of ? nancial stability – with the “This had never happened before in Doumbia-Henry was appointed to lead university was its long-term ? nancial support of the IMO Secretary General those numbers, because now they had the World Maritime University (WMU) sustainability,” she said, “and that re- and the Board of Governors of WMU clear identifying factors and targets.” in 2015. “I thought I had a pretty good mains for me the number one priority; to – was establishing an endowment fund.

She also referred to the role and the im- set of skills and I think I’m pretty good help the university strengthen its ? nan- “We have launched the endowment pact of the ILO Committee of Experts on at managing people.” cial base so it can have a much longer- fund, and now we must grow it to ensure the application of Conventions and Rec- In addition, she looked at her experi- term perspective than it currently has.” the ? nancial stability and future of the ommendations (Committee of Experts), ence covering all international labor While WMU is a child of the IMO, it university.” which is the body that has the mandate standards around the world in 187 mem- is not funded by the IMO budget; rather With the endowment fund ‘box at the international level to monitor and ber States of the ILO, and concluded it is self-funded. The IMO does contrib- checked,’ she is now focused on simul- evaluate legal and practical implemen- that these years of experience ? t nicely ute ? nancially, but it is not a ? xed annual taneously working to energize the WMU tation by ILO members States of the with the mission of the United Nations amount. “When you run any business, alumni association, and preparing for provisions of ILO Conventions. The in building capacity, particularly for de- when you run any institution, one of the a global launch, a fund-raising ‘road

World Maritime University: Where world maritime leaders come to learn & grow.

36 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • AUGUST 2017

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