DMMA COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES (DMMA-CSP) is positioning itself as the driving, innovative force in Mindanao’s maritime hub through a landmark partnership with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to launch a specialized executive program for future maritime leaders.
The historic agreement was formalized during a memorandum of agreement signing at the AIM Aboitiz Tech Space on May 21, officially launching the Postgraduate Certificate in Maritime Leadership and Officer Development Program. Present at the high-profile ceremony to seal the collaboration were DMMA-CSP President Gloria Uriarte, Vice President Florence Alejandre, and Prof. Alberto Mateo Jr., the school head of AIM’s School of Executive Education and Lifelong Learning (AIM-SEELL), who represented AIM at the signing.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Uriarte emphasized that the critical preparation required for senior-rank command must begin early during a seafarer’s foundational formation rather than waiting until they are already at sea.
“The agreement marks the definitive beginning of a program dedicated to shaping leaders who are fully ready for the world, ready for the sea, and ready to serve,” Uriarte said, noting that maritime education must continuously evolve to remain relevant in a changing world.
The specialized initiative is designed to prepare Filipino maritime students and seafarers for managerial and leadership roles in the global shipping industry, Mateo said.
The program will debut using private, partner-based cohorts delivered through a hybrid model of remote learning and in-person instruction. Mateo cited Davao, Cebu and other key maritime districts as potential sites for the physical sessions, with DMMA-CSP anchoring the rollout in Mindanao’s rapidly emerging maritime hub.
The curriculum is designed to integrate directly with existing maritime studies, allowing students to receive leadership training before they begin shipboard internships.
“Our goal is to ensure they will not just be there to become a seafarer or an engineer, but to become a leader someday,” Mateo said. He noted the program’s primary objective is to instill professional intention, action plans and a leadership mindset in students prior to their industry placements.
By partnering with AIM-SEELL, DMMA-CSP aims to look beyond standard technical training to inject management thinking, strategic decision-making, emotional intelligence, and ethical teamwork directly into maritime education.
Uriarte noted that this modern curriculum directly addresses a long-standing challenge in global shipping by smoothly bridging the gap between technical shipboard execution and high-level corporate and operational management. The program ensures graduates are equipped to excel not only as future seafarers and officers, but as corporate managers, innovators, and global professionals.
The initial rollout will target third- and final-year maritime students preparing for internships. Future phases will expand to include seafarers returning from contracts and tenured industry professionals seeking accelerated career development. To ensure practical relevance, the program’s modules will be co-designed with shipping lines and maritime schools. The curriculum will be customizable to fit various shipboard and shore-side functions, ranging from technical leadership to onboard services and administration.
The initiative will draw on the broader academic offerings of AIM, including its degree-granting schools and master’s programs in business administration, data science, innovation and entrepreneurship. Mateo noted that the institution relies on enduring industry partnerships to ensure the training remains useful and relevant to specific maritime specialties.
Graduates of the program will receive postgraduate academic units, an official graduate certificate from AIM, and access to the institution’s global alumni network of roughly 60,000 members.
To encourage initial participation, the introductory cohorts will feature discounted pricing for partner schools and students. Uriarte expressed gratitude to the representatives from AIM for joining DMMA-CSP in the mission, while also acknowledging the shipping partners and scholarship providers whose support continues to drive the potential of DMMA-CSP students.
The program concludes its introductory phase with an invitation for shipping partners and maritime institutions to select preferred cohort locations and express partnership interests to customize future delivery modes.
