Launched in 2022, the Master of Maritime Management at Nelson Mandela University Business School has an all-female team of lecturers. Here’s how the program is aiming to address the gender imbalance in the maritime industry.
Maritime management refers to the administration and organization of the maritime industry. It is about fostering international trade, governing key transport links, and serving related industries such as fishing, oil, and transport.
The maritime industry has a huge influence on the global economy. It governs vital trade links and popular transport routes, while its total value is estimated at around $168.56 billion. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), around 90% of all international trade is carried by sea.
What’s more, in recent decades the growth of the maritime industry has outstripped global economic growth. Between 1996 to 2016, maritime trade increased by 112%. In the same period, the world’s GDP increased by 73%.
As you can see, it’s vital that maritime leaders have the requisite skills and experience to drive the industry forward.
Nelson Mandela University Business School launched the Master of Maritime Management (MMM) in 2022 within this context. The South African business school is one of the leading institutions in the country, with a range of internationally-accredited programs that feature in global rankings.
Applicants to the MMM program are not required to have any professional experience within the maritime industry. However, they are expected to hold a degree (or equivalent qualification) in a related area.
The program aims to equip students with the management, leadership, and business skills to drive the maritime industry forward. Students will foster these skills over the course of seven modules:
The MMM program lasts 18 months, though students can take up to three years to complete all seven modules. It’s a level of flexibility that allows people to juggle the program alongside their current careers.
Graduates leave the program with the skills, knowledge, and experience required to step into management roles within the maritime industry. Not only does the program aim to produce the maritime leaders of tomorrow, but it also challenges the industry’s gender balance.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), women represent just 1.2% of the global maritime industry. Yet in the MMM program, women represent 100% of the program’s faculty.
It’s a brave and pioneering move aimed at addressing the long-standing gender imbalance in the industry. One female faculty member, Dr. Jessica Fraser, says the program showcases the industry’s existing female talent.
“Putting the right building blocks in place from the outset will work towards women being role models for the next generation in the maritime industry,” she explains. “Amongst the integrated modes of transport, maritime business is considered to be the last frontier.”
Maritime business professor Dr. Portia Ndlovu says the fact that the MMM is female-led is a credit to wider South African society.
“Wherever you see women leading it is a pride to all the genders in society, because it means that men have allowed that to happen. [It means that men] have supported that, that men have decided to submit their skills [and] their power to make sure that the leader [is female]. Because a leader is as strong as the followers.” (01:24:22)
In a historically male-dominated industry, aiming for gender equality may seem like an uphill battle, but it’s worth the effort. Research shows that greater equality (in any sphere) can lead to greater economic growth across companies – and even entire countries. For example, a McKinsey report found that greater gender equality worldwide could add $12 trillion to the global economy by 2025.
By equipping male and female maritime professionals with the strategic, leadership, and business skills needed to succeed in management roles, the MMM program aims to guide the maritime industry toward a brighter and more equal-looking future.
If you’d like to learn more about studying a master’s, feel free to reach out to one of our master’s ambassadors.
