ACADEMY WORK :-About 8000 cadets and students study at Odesa National Maritime Academy (ONMA). The annual graduation is about 1000 specialists.
The AcademThe studies are carried out according to the graded system. The terms of studies are the following: four years for bachelor, five and a half years for specialist and master. The system of ship's crew training is in compliance with the requirements of the International Convention of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW -78/ 95) and other international conventions which give graduates the right to work on all types of vessels of native and foreign companies.ONMA comprises eight faculties, Azov Maritime Institute (the city of Mariupol), Izmail faculty, Training and Certifying Centre for Seafarers and Technical Fleet College. Besides such centres as Survival under Extreme Conditions at Sea, Information Consulting Centre, Maritime Training Centre of Ships' Power Installations, Special Technologies for Ships' Technical Maintenance Arrangement, publishing One-"Issue-Inform", GMDSS Educational & Training centre, Sports and Recreational Centre and the Centre of Medical Examination and Rehabilitation were created.Considerable time of training process is devoted to simulator training in accordance with the STCW-78/95 (Section A-I/12 "Standards that Set out Simulators' Usage" and Section B-I/12 "Guide on Simulators' Usage").Navigation cadets use different programmes based on complex radar simulators RLS and ARPA of the firms "Norcontrol" (Norway) and "Transas Marine" (Great Britain, Russia).Cadets of engineering specialities study operation and maintenance of ships' power installations on the simulators of "Dieselsim" type of the firm "Norcontrol" (Norway); LSS-2 of the firm "Haven Automation Ltd" (Great Britain) and "Woodward" (the USA). Cadets of radioelectronics and navigation faculties train on the simulators of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) "Sailor" of "Transas Marine" firm, "IZUMI 900", on operating ships' radio equipment and also on the simulator of automatic identification system (AIS).Cadets of junior courses use in their studies operating power installations and navigational equipment of the sailing ship.Sea Navigation Faculties:-Speciality: "Navigation"Specialization: "Deep-Sea Navigation", "Cargo transportation, Chartering and Agency Service"
The profession of a navigator is extremely crucial on board a ship; it requires comprehensive education. Navigators' service has always been a synthesis of knowledge of numerous fundamental sciences and modern technologies.Training course of future navigators includes English Language, Navigation, Pilotage, Nautical Astronomy, Ship Construction, Maritime International Law, Ship Control, Economics, Management of Fleet and Technology Cargo Carriage, Commercial Operation of a Vessel and some other disciplines, which form knowledge and skills, necessary for a future leader.The currulum makes a provision of shipboard training onboard sea going ships, which is 12 months long. After four years of studies a cadet is granted a bachelor's degree (diploma), an international certificate of competency and all necessary certificates, required for performing the duties of officer in charge of a navigational watch.Graduates having bachelor's degree may go on with their studies up to the level of a specialist or a master. The term of studies is 1.5 years. The certificate of specialist or master allows professional growth up to the rank of deep sea captain.The graduates of the faculty successfully work both on board sea-going ships and in many branches of the industry, as well as at many management positions.Cooperation with International Organization:-
Nowadays cooperation with foreign partners (maritime educational institutions, scientific establishments and scientific and engineering institutions, shipping and crewing companies), as well as upgrading the quality of training process and meeting the international standards takes an important place in the work of Odesa National Maritime Academy.
During the period from 1990 to 1991 a significant work in the foreign affairs and commercial activity was held in Odesa Higher Engineering Marine School. Due to transformation of OHEMS into Odesa State Maritime Academy for the enhancement of scientific and technical, economic cooperation of the Academy with foreign institutions and organizations, international and economic relationships development and commercial activity, International and Economic Cooperation Department was organized in August 29,1991 with the decree № 166.The system of seafarers training meets the standards of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers,1978, as amended,1995(STCW 78 as amended).In addition to diploma of higher education, all cadets obtain the Certificates of Competency which enables them to apply for a position of officers on board vessels of any shipping company of the world.The Academy's specialists' level of training meets the requirements of International Maritime Organization (IMO). ONMA keeps in touch with the United Nations' International Maritime Organization, specialized agency (London, Great Britain). The Academy elaborated a number of documents from the part of Ukraine and takes part in the work of sessions, committees and sub-committees. Academy's professors and lecturers participate in the work of International Maritime Organization as competent persons (experts).Odesa National Maritime Academy's activity has met with wide international recognition. Expertise of crew members' training at ONMA (demands' assessment and planning mission within the framework of integrated technical cooperation programme) was held by International Maritime Organization's experts' group in 1996. The experts expressed their appreciation of crew specialists of sea- and river-going transport training quality.
In May 2007 Efthimios Mitropoulos, Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization, was on an official visit in Ukraine. The main aim of Mr. Mitropoulos's visit was familiarization with the marine industry in our country. Mr. E.Mitropoulos visited Odesa National Maritime Academy where his meeting with Academy's staff took place. During the meeting IMO Secretary-General was conferred on a title of Honorary Doctor of Odesa National Maritime Academy. Besides, Academy's teaching staff, cadets and representatives of Ukrainian Maritime Community had an opportunity to be present at Mr. E.Mitropoulos lecture devoted to the following subject "International Maritime Organization: contemporary condition and development perspectives". There was a press-conference of Efthimios Mitropoulos, International Maritime Organization's Secretary-General with mass media representatives at the the end of formal events.
Foreign Sudents Educatio :-
Odesa National Maritime Academy is still considered to be the only educational establishment that trains qualified officers for the marine transport foreign vessels. Nowadays 245 foreign students from 31 countries are studying at the Academy.During the period from 1950 till 2009 more than 1000 cadets from 86 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, including the near abroad countries, such as Russian Federation, Moldova, Georgia etc., graduated from the Academy.The first foreign student from Poland Pytko Zgybnew arrived to study here in 1950, then, in 1951 a citizen of Czechoslovakia, Materna Yirji, a citizen of China, Yui Yuan Fu and later in 1953 – another citizen of China, Chan Lai Sai also came here to get education. In 1955 students from Poland, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam etc. were coming to study at Odesa Higher Marine School.A considerable quantity of the graduates works in their countries as ship's Masters, Chief Engineers and in other areas. A number of graduates occupies high state positions – heads of steamship companies and higher educational establishments, deans of faculties, and professors.167 people from Vietnam graduated from the OHEMU-ONMA. Among them there was Le Dick Toan. After finishing OHEMU, and a postgraduate course later, he worked as KHEMU Rector (now called Vietnam Maritime University). In 1982 a group of graduates — deans of faculties, chairs led by Le Dick Toan visited the Academy. Fan Hong Sean is the rector of Khoshimin Maritime University of Transportation, Wu Min Tao is the dean of Maritime faculty of the fore-mentioned University. Do Viet Shi – the First Vice-Rector of the Vietnam Maritime University. Juan Van An is the Dean of the Ship's Engineering Department. Juan Van Zuet is the head of the Haiphong steamship company. Chin Van Fan is the master, head of the steamship company.124 people graduated from the Academy from former Czechoslovakia. Vodichka Indrzhykh, the graduate of ONMA Engineering faculty, works as a Minister of Labour in Chech Republic. Peter Kadichka was the head of the Marine Steamship Company Inspection. Materna Irzhy, one of the first graduates, worked as Master of the MV "Koshitse".Besides Vietnam and Czechoslovakia, citizens from India (82 graduates), Syria (73 graduates), Cuba (48 graduates), Lebanon (32 graduates), Poland (26 graduates) and other countries, have graduated from the Academy and finished post graduate courses. Now they occupy high positions and run business. 20 people among the graduates finished post graduate courses and obtained a scientific degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences.Foreign cadets take an active part in sports: chess games, table-tennis, volleyball, etc. It was mentioned in "Vechernyaya Odessa" that foreign students were rewarded with diplomas, and valuable prizes for their sports achievements. The dean organized celebrations for graduates from India, Vietnam and Cuba.
In 1976-1980 the choir of Czechoslovakia youth organization led by cadet Miroslav Reitmann and a vocal group consisting of cadets from Madagascar expatriate community (led by Talainy L. Daniel) were of great success among Odesans, they also traveled to different cities with concerts.
Since the moment of independent State of Ukraine foundation, in August 1991, foreign students' education has been contract-based, only a small part of students have studied at the expense of some countries' budgetary funds (Vietnam, Slovakia, Moldova).
Thus, the international activity is mainly aimed at creating conditions for accelerating the processes, first of all, of considerable increase of international students' contingent at national higher educational establishments and colleges. Work in this field allows to significantly extend off-budget and equity financing of Ukrainian educational establishments, to preserve teaching staff, and to use additional currency resources for development, etc.
