Abdullah

In accordance with its Declaration of Trust, the ICS Education Trust Fund is able to award a bursary to suitable students.

It awarded one to a scholar who wished to attend the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden.  The university is sustained by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and thus is a seat of learning that has support unparalleled in the nautical sector.  In his year, there were 130 students from 49 countries; a truly international set.

Our student commented that, "The professors and faculty members are highly respected, trained, vastly experienced and have devoted their lives to improving maritime training and education."  These observations strike a chord within the Institute as it echoes our own endeavours.

The students fall into three separate groups.  One comprises school-leavers with no shipping exposure. Another consists of ex-seafarers who have a tremendous amount of practical ability but little commercial skill. The third is made up of those with some exposure to the shipping sector while working ashore.

The school-leavers quickly grasped the way shipping worked and the ex-sailors took no time at all to link what they had experienced at sea with the mercantile shroud that enveloped it all.

Our student has now graduated after three very successful years. His ambition was to gain a distinction and other awards. He did become student president in his final year but we have yet to learn how his efforts were rewarded with regard to his final marks.