Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno (Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation) paid an official visit to the IMO International Maritime Law Institute on 24 October 2017. He was accompanied by Ms. Mao Hasebe (The Nippon Foundation, Ocean & Maritime Program & Strategy Team, Social Innovation Program Division).

Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno (Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation) and Professor David Attard (Director, IMLI) with the IMLI Class of 2017-2018

Mr. Unno was received by Professor Attard who introduced him to the Institute’s resident faculty, staff and students. Professor Attard said that he was very pleased to welcome Mr. Unno again to the Institute. He informed Mr. Unno that the number of the Nippon Foundation Scholars in the current academic year is the highest so far and that he hopes that the co-operation between the Institute and the Foundation will continue to grow. Mr Unno was also informed about the growing interest among IMO member States and other individuals and entities in the Institute’s programmes, as demonstrated by the unprecedented number of applications received for the 2017-2018 academic year which resulted in the biggest intake of students since the Institute’s inception.

Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno (Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation) with the Nippon Foundation Scholars for the 2017-2018 Academic Year

On his part, Mr. Unno thanked Professor Attard for the warm reception accorded to him and his delegation. He expressed the Foundation’s belief in the work of IMLI and that it will continue to support the Institute. He said that IMLI’s positive impact on the students is seen when the students return to their various countries to showcase the knowledge and skills acquired in international maritime law. Mr. Unno made reference to the work of the Foundation scholars who were attending The Nippon Foundation Conference in the Black and Caspian Seas Region as an example of such positive impact. Mr. Unno concluded his visit with individual meetings with the Nippon Foundation Scholars for the academic year 2017-2018.

It may be recalled that The Nippon Foundation’s engagement with the Institute started in 2005, pursuant to the Grant Agreement between the Foundation and the Institute to establish a joint project entitled ‘Human Resources Development Project for the Advancement of a More Effective Global Legal Order for the Oceans’. Under this Project, the Foundation provides funds for studentship positions and three teaching positions at the Institute. In the current academic year (2017-2018), a record number of fifteen students were accepted into the Institute’s programmes as Nippon Foundation Scholars.