Print articleFisheries and Marine Institute
The Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MI) is Canada’s largest and most comprehensive post-secondary institute dedicated to education, applied research, training, technology transfer and industrial support for the oceans industries. Located in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, MI strives to foster economic development in the oceans and marine sector. The Marine Institute offers a wide range of Masters Degree, Bachelor Degree, Advanced Diploma, Diploma of Technology, Joint Diploma/Degree and Technical Certificate programs, as well as a variety of industry-oriented short courses.
The Marine Institute is divided into three schools, the School of Maritime Studies, School of Fisheries and the School of Ocean Technology. The School of Maritime Studies (SMS) has a focus on the marine transportation industry and its related fields, primarily ship operations and vessel design. Its students train for several careers in the marine transportation industry, including positions as deck officers, marine engineers, and ratings, along with vessel design as naval architects and marine systems engineers.
The School of Maritime Studies encompasses the Centre for Marine Simulation (CMS) and the Offshore Safety and Survival Centre (OSSC). The Centre for Marine Simulation has been helping the Marine Institute’s partners in marine and offshore industries accelerate training, improve performance and test new equipment designs since 1994 and has the most comprehensive suite of marine simulation capabilities in North America. CMS has become internationally recognized in the areas of simulating harsh maritime environments, human performances in moving environments, simulation of offshore oil and gas operations and waterway risk analysis. It can develop simulations for any port and any ship around the world and can provide for simulation-related research in ship systems design, simulator design and curriculum design. All CMS facilities represent the world’s latest developments in marine simulation.
Some of the simulators currently in use at CMS include cargo operations, ballast control, dynamic positioning, navigation and blind pilotage, propulsion plant, remotely operated vehicle (ROV), process control, lifeboat launch and web-based navigation instruments. The CMS is also the home of a full motion, full mission ship’s bridge simulator, one of only two in the world. These facilities are augmented by a “virtual shipyard,” which generates a wide variety of vessels ranging from small fishing boats to super tankers. New ships can be developed based on model test results or full scale trials, as well as generating sister ships from the existing fleet. Ship models can also be made for operation in shallow channels, ice covered waters, or any marine environment specified by Marine Institute clients. CMS can also generate geographic databases to meet client specifications. The visual databases can cover anything from a port with associated infrastructure, to a canal or waterway, to an offshore oil field. In-house designers can build entire digital coastlines, overhead views, and underwater maps to define what a client might need to recreate an operating area.
The OSSC offers a wide range of safety and emergency response training courses to the marine transportation, offshore petroleum, fishing and land-based industries. First aid, firefighting and a variety of offshore safety and survival training short courses are taught by a staff of more than 40 highly qualified and experienced professionals. The Offshore Safety and Survival Centre (OSSC) has an extensive assortment of facilities and equipment to support its training deliveries and has developed a reputation for quality work in applied research.
The Marine Institute’s School of Ocean Technology (SOT) focuses on technologies that enable safe, efficient and effective activity in ocean industries. The SOT offers programs in ocean instrumentation, marine information and communication technologies, ocean mapping, remotely operated vehicle training and other underwater technologies. A new four-year joint diploma/degree program in ocean mapping is in development and will soon be available to students. MI’s School of Fisheries focuses on the use, sustainability and management of aquatic resources and the marine environment, primarily aquaculture, harvesting, food processing and safety. It includes the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources (CSAR) and the Centre for Aquaculture and Seafood Development (CASD). The Marine Institute is also proud of the fact the Canadian Navy sends sailors from across the country to train at MI in both the Marine Engineering Technical Training Program and the Naval Combat Systems Technical Training Program. The Marine Institute is one of only two post-secondary institutions in Canada to have such an agreement with the Canadian Navy.
The MI recently unveiled two new programs that will soon be available: Master of Maritime Management and Master of Technology Management. Both of these programs are designed to get students into fields that need well educated and skilled workers and each program is expected to start at MI in January, 2010. The Master of Maritime Management program offers marine professionals an opportunity to advance their careers by helping them develop tools to successfully manage complex marine operations. It will help them understand the structure and operation of marine-based organizations and the factors that influence the business decisions made by these companies. The Master of Maritime Management will be offered solely as an online program.
The Master of Technology Management will focus on strategic planning, decision-making and technology management while closely examining the structure and operation of technology-based organizations. This program will also be offered on-line and is designed to help technology professionals climb the corporate ladder in their industries. Graduates from this program will be able to fully harness the power of their technology expertise and stand out as management candidates.
MI is one of only five public educational institutions in Canada to have ISO 9001:2008 certification and has developed a reputation for being Canada’s top marine-based post-secondary organization. It has become a globally recognized world’s ocean institute that trains students to seamlessly transition from the classroom to their new careers in the oceans and marine industries. MI graduates have the skills to play a huge role in the future growth of this sector, whether it is as deck officers, naval architects or captains of ships.
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