As part of Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy's pursuit of high efficiency, the academy focuses on three main pillars: research and development, providing all sectors of technical and institutional training to meet the full needs of students and companies operating in the maritime sector, and international expansion to enhance programs and make them more diverse. In this interview, Robban Assafina speaks with Dr. Yasser Al-Wahedi, President of Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy (ADMA), about the academy's key plans and goals, with a focus on research and development in sustainability and artificial intelligence.

Since the establishment of ADMA, the academy has aimed to develop comprehensive programs for those interested in various majors. What can you share about this?

The academy originally started as a training center that aims to serve the Abu Dhabi Ports Group, but its scope of work has significantly expanded. At the beginning of 2021, we began developing the academy's programs, and we now have an annual program and promotional campaigns for student enrollment. The higher education process is currently in place, and the seventh batch of students has joined the academy.

Regarding training, we have expanded our training programs; initially, we focused on technical programs related to the maritime sector, and we have now added programs related to various fields connected to logistics, such as maritime supply chain management, port management, ship management, marine insurance, shipping laws, and international shipping. Additionally, we offer programs to prepare qualified individuals for roles in finance and law related to the maritime sector.

To extend our support to the Maritime Industry and in line with our strategy to be a one stop shop for all knowledge based needs, we established a company named Abu Dhabi Knowledge Bridge, which is affiliated with Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, to cover the corporate training aspect. By this way, we provide all sectors of technical and corporate training for both companies and students.

We have also began working in the field of research and development last year, as the current focus in the maritime sector revolves around sustainability and artificial intelligence. In line with our R&D efforts, we have registered four patents related to artificial intelligence applications in the maritime sector.

In general, the academy is pursuing three growth thrusts. The first one is research and development, the second is providing all sectors of technical and corporate training to meet all the needs of students, professionals and companies operating in the maritime sector, and the third direction is international expansion.

Currently, our operations are concentrated in the UAE, but we are negotiating with various entities and countries in Africa, South America, and other parts of Asia to offer training programs there. Moreover, there are some countries where we might open branches of the academy, and we may also establish partnerships with certain institutions or academies located in these countries.

In light of your commitment to developing efficiency and encouraging students, what are the biggest challenges you face, and how do you address them?

We place a strong emphasis on addressing the issue of unclear vision by raising awareness, where the media plays a crucial role in presenting reality to students and informing them about the career paths they can pursue throughout their professional journey. We want to tell the younger generation that there are numerous job opportunities in the maritime industry, and the career path is clear for those working in this field to reach the position or job they aspire to occupy.

What is the academy's role in collaborating with cybersecurity companies, and how important is technology in your training efforts?

We collaborate with several leading companies in this field, including both large companies and startups. We are also working towards partnerships with various companies to jointly develop new technologies, allowing the academy to have a significant impact on their development. We aspire to grow together with these companies, and this year, we have successfully registered a patent related to technology in collaboration with one of the startups.

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	Issue 93 of Robban Assafina (Sep / Oct. 2024)