The vocational education in the maritime field is regulated by the International Maritime Organisation IMO’s International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW 1995). The Convention aims to universal regulation of maritime education, qualifications and watchkeeping – at least in reaching the minimum requirements. There are, however, major differences between different countries (and VET institutions) on the syllabus level in the contents and structure of maritime VET. The MariePRO project will provide valuable tools and background for the use of the VET institutions on their way to defining the common syllabus structure and content on the European level. It will be emphasized in the project that, when creating the common European framework for Maritime Education and Training (MET), the structure would directly derive from the requirements of the existing STCW Convention, in order to avoid any extra pressure on the MET institutions due to any possible contradicting requirements. Presentation will include examination of the differences between VET institutions in the partner countries, the feedback on possible transnational curricula received by the stakeholders and a draft of an example syllabus for protection of the marine environment according to the STCW provisions.

MariePRO Homepage: http://www.utu.fi/en/units/cms/education/projects/mariepro/Pages/home.aspx STCW 1995: http://www.stcw.org/ (found 29.01.2015)