SMMI signs MOU with Bangladesh to foster closer collaboration
The University of Southampton signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh at a ceremony in Southampton on Friday 14 February 2020.
The MOU will encourage and enable cooperation and technical capacity building assistance in the areas of Oceanography, Naval Architecture & Offshore Engineering, Marine Biotechnology, Port and Shipping Management, Maritime Law and the Blue economy.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU) was established as the first Maritime University of the country by the Bangladesh Government in 2014 to “keep pace and to be at par with the developing world in the field of maritime higher studies and research” (http://www.bsmrmu.edu.bd/).
Rear Admiral Khaled Iqbal, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh and the University of Southampton’s Vice President of Research & Enterprise, Professor Mark Spearing, carried out the official signing a ceremony attended by Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute Director, Damon Teagle, and Deputy Directors Susan Gourvenec and Fraser Sturt.
The relationship with BSMRMU was developed through the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute, who hosted a delegation of VIPs from BSMRMU in July last year. The relationship was further cemented through SMMI member and (at the time) Director of the Institute of Maritime Law, Professor Andrew Serdy, visiting BSMRMU to deliver a keynote lecture at their International Symposium on Ocean Health and Governance addressing Impact of Maritime Law and UNCLOS III on Ocean Governance in November 2019. Related news story here.