Dr. Björn Kjerfve, President of the World Maritime University, made public his resignation on 6 May following the annual Board of Governors meeting. He will step down as President on 31 May and leave the University on 20 June to take up a position as Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah in the UAE.
Dr. Björn Kjerfve, President of the World Maritime University, made public his resignation on 6 May following the annual Board of Governors meeting. He will step down as President on 31 May and leave the University on 20 June to take up a position as Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah in the UAE.
In May 2009, Dr. Kjerfve returned to his native country of Sweden to become President of WMU. In the five years since his arrival, the University has experienced record enrollment in both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs, extraordinary growth in professional development course offerings, enhanced global visibility with six international conferences, significant expansion of the research portfolio, and rebuilt the financial Reserves to a record level. Financially, the University is the most stable it has been since being founded by the International Maritime Organization in 1983, and the new University Tornhuset facility in the center of Malmö is slated for completion at the end of this year.
On 6 May in a presentation before WMU students, staff, and many members of the Board of Governors as well as the Executive Board Chairman, Dr. Kjerfve was presented with a plaque of appreciation by Mr. Koji Sekimizu, IMO Secretary-General and WMU Chancellor. Mr. Sekimizu thanked Dr. Kjerfve for his great vision, leadership, and outstanding contributions and service to WMU that brought financial stability to the University and produced record enrollment within a short period of five years.
In his resignation statement, President Kjerfve noted, “WMU is an Institution that I truly believe in, and it has been an honor to serve as President of the best university for postgraduate maritime education in the world. In addition, WMU has built a solid reputation as a strong maritime research university in response to IMO Council and Assembly resolutions. WMU is educating the maritime leaders of tomorrow.”
Professor Neil Bellefontaine, Vice President Academic, will serve as Acting President while IMO conducts an international search for the new President.
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