A Decision Analysis Proposal to Strength Industrial Compliance of Maritime Education and Training Programs

Abstract

Maritime educational program development responding to the industrial tendencies has recently become a challenging issue. In fact, International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) sets competencies for maritime professionals in different ranks. However, it is so important to reconsider the relevant qualification standards and field expectations together. This paper illustrates a basic decision analysis particularly on STCW Code Table A-III/2 in order to identify the priorities of competencies in program development. In this case, Analytic Network Process (ANP) is adapted as a suitable technique to ensure dependencies and feedbacks between the competency items under different functions such as marine engineering at the management level, electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, maintenance and repair at the management level, etc. The initial results are useful to balance the methods for demonstrating competence (i.e. simulator training, laboratory equipment training, training ship experience in-service experience, etc.). As a further study, the proposed approach might be extended as a quality assurance tool strength the industrial compliance of program outcomes.