At a meeting between the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Belgium Sapar Palvanov and the General Director of the Antwerp Maritime Academy Rowan van Scheeren, opportunities for cooperation in the field of maritime education and training of maritime specialists were discussed. During a visit to this university college, where future officers of the Belgian Navy are trained, the Turkmen diplomat got acquainted with the key areas of activity of the academy, its educational and research programs and the practical training offered.
The head of the Antwerp Maritime Academy expressed interest in developing partnerships with Turkmenistan, which opens up new prospects for the exchange of students and teachers, the implementation of joint scientific projects, as well as the creation of specialized programs aimed at meeting the needs of the Turkmen maritime industry for highly qualified personnel.
As Rowan van Scheeren emphasized, the Antwerp Academy, which enjoys authority in the global maritime community, provides specialized educational programs whose certificates are internationally recognized, which confirms the high standard of training. As for the scientific research activities of the academy, cooperation in this area, in his opinion, will contribute to the implementation of joint research projects, including the development of modern port infrastructure and optimization of logistics operations in Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen side expressed its readiness to facilitate further discussion of possible areas of cooperation, and confirmed Turkmenistan’s interest in developing its maritime sector and improving the skills of personnel in this specialization. In particular, Sapar Palvanov proposed considering the possibility of establishing direct partnership contacts between the Antwerp Maritime Academy and the Turkmenbashy Maritime Secondary Vocational School as a potential partner in Turkmenistan, talking about the role of this educational institution in staffing the country’s maritime industry. The proposal was supported by CEO Rowan van Scheeren. Based on the results of the substantive negotiations, the process of preparing a draft memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the Belgian and Turkmen sides on this topic was initiated.
