The Pilot Program for Cultivating Talents for International Maritime Organizations at our university officially commenced on March 22, with a launching ceremony held at the School of Foreign Languages. Distinguished attendees included Li Yuwei, former Director of the Transport Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), President Shan Hongjun of our university, and all faculty and students of the program. The ceremony was presided over by Professor Zeng Gang, Dean of the School of Foreign Languages.

In his address, President Shan Hongjun emphasized that the establishment of the pilot program, which brings together students from different disciplines and grades, represents the university’s proactive commitment to aligning with national strategies and strengthening the development of talents for global governance. He underscores its mission to cultivate a cohort of global governance professionals who are ideologically committed, knowledgeable about national policies, fluent in foreign languages, and skilled in communication, thereby empowering China to amplify its institutional influence in international maritime affairs. He encouraged the first cohort of students in the program to deepen their patriotism, broaden global perspectives, fortify disciplinary expertise, and hone competencies in international affairs, preparing to assume leadership roles in international maritime organizations. Concluding his remarks, he expressed his hope that the program would achieve excellence in both quality and standards, and extended his best wishes for the students to attain academic success, refine their life values through their journey at Dalian Maritime University, and ultimately grow into pillars of the nation in its future development.

At the ceremony, Shan Hongjun presented Li Yuwei with the letter of appointment as Chief Advisor.Zeng Gang elaborated on the pilot program, outlining its training orientation, curriculum system, faculty structure, operational safeguards, and supporting policies.Researcher Han Jialin from the International Maritime Conventions Research Center and Graduate Student Wang Chu from the School of Foreign Languages delivered speeches on behalf of faculty and students, respectively.Senior representatives from the university’s Graduate School, International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Academic Affairs Office, and the School of Foreign Languages attended the launching ceremony.

The Pilot Program is a distinctive initiative launched by the university in alignment with China’s national strategies of building a maritime, transportation, and shipping powerhouse. Jointly developed by multiple departments including the Academic Affairs Office, Graduate School, International Cooperation and Exchange Office, and School of Foreign Languages, the program admits 30 undergraduate students, graduate students and doctoral candidates per cohort for a 1.5-year progressive training curriculum through university-wide competitive selection. Leveraging the university’s strengths in education and research, and anchored in the vision of building a maritime community with a shared future, the program aims to cultivate multidimensional professionals who possess expertise in international organizations, global relations, and maritime governance; demonstrate superior multilingual proficiency, leadership, and cross-cultural communication skills; embrace patriotic commitment and a global mindset; excel in practical problem-solving and exhibit in-depth familiarity with the operational protocols and regulatory ecosystems of international maritime organizations.