From April 21 to 23, the 23rd Executive Board Meeting of the International Association of Maritime Universities (IAMU) was held at the University of Split, Croatia. The meeting was attended by Executive Board members including Takeshi Nakazawa, Executive Director of IAMU; Maximo Q. Mejia, President of the World Maritime University; Malcolm Wise, Principal of the Australian Maritime College; Radu Hanzu-Pazara, Vice-Rector of Constanta Maritime University; Michael Dickerson, Director of Communications at Maine Maritime Academy; Ivan Peronja, Dean of the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Split; Srđan Vujičić, Dean of the Faculty of Maritime Studies at the University of Dubrovnik; Robyn Pyne, Leader of Global Engagement at the Liverpool John Moores University’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology; and Luis Evidente, External Affairs Advisor at John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University. President Shan Hongjun presided over the meeting as Chair of the IAMU.

The Executive Board deliberated on the progress reports from the Policy and Planning, Academic Affairs, Finance, and Liaison Committees, as well as the annual work plans of three working groups. Members voted on the initiation and conclusion of relevant research projects and received a briefing from the University of Split, the host of the 2026 IAMU Annual General Assembly, regarding the event’s preparations. As a special agenda item, the meeting also discussed the current state of global shipping, alongside issues concerning seafarers’ working environments and maritime safety.

The 2025 Organizational Development Project "NF-IAMU GMP Fellowship Programme Renewal," led by Li Quan from the Navigation College, passed its final review with the highest score and received high praise from the IAMU Secretariat. The research findings from this project have been adopted as a key criterion for the 2027 NF-IAMU GMP Fellowship selection. Furthermore, the meeting decided that Zhang Ruolan from the Navigation College will represent IAMU at the 2026 Annual Session of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Several faculty members were also invited by the IAMU to serve as expert reviewers for the final acceptance of the 2025 research projects: Xu Minyi and Yuan Haichao from the Marine Engineering College, and Tian Hao from the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering College will review research projects, while Wang Huanxin from the Navigation College will review organizational development projects.

Established in 1999, the IAMU currently comprises 82 renowned maritime universities from 45 countries, along with The Nippon Foundation. The association is dedicated to cultivating global maritime talent, providing an academic exchange platform for member institutions, and fostering cooperation with IMO and the maritime industry. Today, it stands as the most influential maritime education and academic organization, boasting the highest level of institutional participation worldwide.