Maritime education and training in Lithuania and European Union harmonisation and perspectives

Maritime education and training (MET) in Lithuania has deep historical roots. The place, name and jurisdiction of Lithuanian MET institutions have been changed several times. The first seamen examination institution in Klaipėda was founded in 1811. Nowadays there are two higher MET institutions, having basic programs leading to deck and engineering officer watchkeeping certificate: Lithuanian Maritime College and Klaipėda University Maritime Institute. These two high schools are among 96 EU MET institutions. There are 165 MET institutions in EU (25 countries), Norway and Iceland, 69 of them provide education and training for rating and other maritime specialists, offer short courses, researches and other services for maritime industry. MET institutions have different institutional structures and administration. They can be organized as universities, academies, colleges, vocational, technical schools, and higher polytechnics, state-owned and private. 25% are maritime academies (universities), 23% are faculties or departments in polytechnics, and colleges are 46% of all EU MET institutions leading to certificate of competence. The academic degree (bachelor, master) together with the maritime certificate is provided in some of EU countries. MET in Lithuania (also in the other EU countries) is provided in accordance to legal acts of three levels: international (world wide) legal acts, international (Europe Union) legal acts and national legal acts, which set norms for academic... [to full text