By Ioannis Karakanis
Managing Director,
Piraeus Campus
Aegean College, part of the Omiros Educational Group, is a well-established educational institution, offering 75 Bachelor degree programmes, 27 Master’s degree programmes as well as PhDs in collaboration with the University of Essex. Aegean College campuses in Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus and Larissa are centrally located, within state-of-the-art facilities, employing over 250 academics within its 9 Schools.
The School of Shipping at Aegean College, located in the center of Piraeus, works closely with shipping academics and industry professionals in developing and delivering both its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Shipping, covering distinct aspects of shipping, such as maritime claims, maritime legislation as well as sustainable shipping management.
The School of Shipping offers a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) degree in Shipping Management as well as a Master of Science (MSc) in Shipping Management, developed to impart the knowledge and skills needed to address the ever-changing industry needs. Additionally, the School of Shipping offers an innovative multidisciplinary programme, the LLM in Maritime Law & Management, which combines the core aspects of shipping with specialised knowledge of maritime law, imparted through such modules as Carriage of Goods by Sea & Marine Insurance. The School of Shipping has included into its portfolio the Master of Science (MSc) in Sustainable Shipping Management, aiming to prepare students to play a pivotal role in shaping the new era of environmental protection and sustainable shipping.
Aegean College programmes combine the high standards and the academic rigour of its university partner, the University of Essex, with that of delivery in the Greek language, as an option, to achieve a better command and understanding of the shipping market’s core aspects and intricacies. At the same time, the students are mentored in honing their knowledge and skills set, to achieve an in-depth, critical understanding of the range of disciplines that influence the industry, paralleled with vital soft skills which are of paramount importance for professional development within the shipping sector.
Equally important for future shipping professionals are foreign languages, with the College offering tuition-free modules in two foreign languages of the students’ choice, including English, French, Spanish, Russian or Chinese. The College also offers an Educational Portal through which students gain access to the course material, communicate with lecturers as well as access the electronic library.
The School of Shipping at Aegean College is comprised of specialised shipping academic staff, from prestigious Greek or foreign Universities, such as University of Piraeus and World Maritime University.
In addition, the School of Shipping draws from the practical experience of the market professionals, many of which have been incorporated into the shipping faculty as industry lecturers, thus combining the transmission of academic knowledge with field and professional practice in its teaching and learning strategy.
The student experience within the School of Shipping aims to expose participants during throughout their studies to the shipping industry’s current practices, via field visits to major shipping companies, maritime organisations and institutions, via presentations and seminars conducted by executives from the shipping industry, via the organisation of the College’s annual “Career Days” event.
The School of Shipping at Aegean College is also an approved training centre of Bureau Veritas, a Member of BIMCO, which continuously collaborates with many stakeholders distinguished in marine training, such as HSA, Project Connect and Career Stream.
Aegean College organises, the annual Maritime Conference of the School of Shipping, a well-established industry event at Piraeus Public Theater, whereby panels of shipping professionals address contemporary issues related to the shipping sector.
Shipping students of the College take active part in the conference and have an opportunity to build strong connections to the sector and improve their employment potential following graduation. In 2024, the annual Maritime Conference is scheduled to take place on the 14th of May 2024, in Piraeus Public Theater. The event is open to students, professionals and to the stakeholders within the shipping industry.
The Minister of Shipping, in light of current developments in education, has declared 2024 as “the year of maritime training.” This declaration comes in the face of legislative reforms in Higher Education, which promises to reshape maritime training and further support the expansion of Aegean College’s programmes within the context of a more robust higher educational environment in maritime training.
