- Agreed on operating the joint pilot programme consisting of the master’s course for 30 students from developing countries -

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The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF; Minister MOON, Seong-Hyeok) hold the signing ceremony for the MOU on the World Fisheries University (WFU) Pilot Programme* with the Secretariat of the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at Seoul Global Center on 14 May 2019.

* Memorandum of Understanding concerning The World Fisheries University Pilot Programme between The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea and The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The ceremony was attended by the two signees, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and Director General of FAO, Mr. Jose Graziano da Silva.

The Secretariat has insisted a step-by-step approach requiring establishment of the FAO Partnership & Liaison Office as a prerequisite for signing the MOU and establishment of the full-pledged University, the final goal. The bilateral discussions led to conclusion of the MOU following one-day-earlier opening of the office.

MOF and the Secretariat agreed to host the steering committee biannually to appraise the pilot programme for its further improvement and detailed plan on the WFU establishment.

The joint programme with FAO consists of 3-term course work for MSc in 3 majors, namely aquaculture technology, fisheries resource management and social science, targeting 30 students from developing countries upon completing the preparatory work including admission and faculty recruitment processes.

Korea previously operated an 18-month pilot programme from Sep. 2017, successfully producing 44 graduates in total including 25 from the master’s course and 19 from the leadership training course.

MOF will thoroughly evaluate the joint pilot programme upon its completion to propose the agenda to establish the full-fledged university at the 42nd FAO Conference in 2021.

Director General Yang, Dong Yeob of Overseas Fisheries and international Policy Bureau stated that “WFU serves as a meaningful opportunity to make a return in only half a century for technical assistance in fisheries that Korea had received from the international society since 1965. MOF will implement the joint pilot programme as scheduled in cooperation with the FAO Secretariat, Busan city and Pukyung National University to accomplish the goal of the WFU establishment based on the lessons and experiences learned from the programme.”