Gdynia Maritime University has just inaugurated the first in Poland, and the second in the world, postgraduate Executive Offshore Wind MBA. In the near future, the EOW MBA participants will lead projects in the offshore wind energy industry.

The inauguration session of the Executive Offshore Wind MBA postgraduate studies took place on 25 March in the Senate Room of the Gdynia Maritime University. It was attended by students of the EOW MBA as well as the University authorities headed by the Rector Professor Adam Weintrit, Director of the Offshore Wind Energy Centre at Gdynia Maritime University Andrzej Popadiuk, and special guests representing the EOW MBA Programme Partners. The Ambassador of the Great Britain sent her congratulation letter and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark as well as Flemming Østergaard from Business Academy South West provided video presentations with their congratulations to the EOW MBA students and the GMU authorities. Prof. Wolfgang Lukas from University of Applied Sciences Bremerhaven attended the inauguration online and addressed the EOW MBA students with his greetings. Mariusz Witoński, President of the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society also greeted the EOW MBA students and emphasised the growing potential of the offshore wind market. The participants of the first cohort received congratulation letters which confirmed their status as EOW MBA I students.

- We have been cooperating with the University of Applied Sciences Bremerhaven for over 40 years. While benchmarking with other maritime universities we noticed that UASB offer an MBA programme for the offshore wind sector. During last year's visit to Bremerhaven we agreed that we would also initiate a similar programme at our University - Rector Adam Weintrit says about the genesis of the studies. - Then we had to find someone who had been organizing MBA studies for a long time. We started cooperation with Mr Andrzej Popadiuk, who headed the Gdańsk Foundation for Management Development. His experience and our experience in maritime industry resulted in the creation of the first MBA programme in Poland dedicated to the offshore sector. We don't want to duplicate or compete with other studies of this type that already exist. We want to create something that will be in demand in the coming years.

The Executive MBA for the offshore wind energy sector launched at Gdynia Maritime University will soon provide the industry with professional managers, ready to lead projects in a growing market, not only in Poland but also internationally. Gdynia Maritime University and its Offshore Wind Energy Centre have ensured that the programme has an outstanding practical value. The EOW MBA Programme Board includes representatives of companies and institutions already operating in the market. They will share their expertise and experience by presenting case studies and discussing real market problems. The EOW MBA programme is organized under the Honorary Patronage of the British Embassy Warsaw and the Royal Danish Embassy in Poland. The Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society – whose President is also one of the programme faculty – is the Programme Partner. Academic Partners, who will also deliver a significant proportion of the programme, are German University of Applied Sciences Bremerhaven and Business Academy Southwest from Denmark.

- These are two universities that run the first MBA programme for the offshore energy sector - explains Andrzej Popadiuk, Director of the Offshore Wind Energy Centre at Gdynia Maritime University. - Corporate and industry partners, including DNV, GE Power, Inter Marine Group, MEWO, Morska Agencja Gdynia, Ørsted, Polish Register of Shipping, RWE, Seaway 7 also play an important role in making the programme practical and relevant. The representatives of these companies are members of the Programme Board, they will also deliver some of the sessions as part of the Executive Offshore Wind MBA - adds Popadiuk.

Director Andrzej Popadiuk stresses that the EOW MBA programme has been designed to provide students with a wide spectrum of first-hand practical knowledge. - The whole programme will be conducted in a dynamic, participative and inspiring way. Alongside with regular classes the programme will include a whole spectrum of additional elements, such as simulation games, guest speakers, expert panels, and also company visits, visits to laboratories and survey vessels. We also intend to organize trips to onshore and offshore wind warms as well as exchange sessions with international universities. This is going to be a very exciting, inspiring and prestigious programme. The programme graduates will acquire unique sector knowledge and advanced management competences, which will make them the most sought-after managers in the OWE market – says Andrzej Popadiuk.

The organizers stress that the studies created at Gdynia Maritime University will provide the most up-to-date and practical knowledge, which will be shared by experts from companies already involved in the OWE market.

- We have carefully studied the programme scope and content. Each semester will be crowned with a business case based on current market events. As RWE Renewables we see our role in securing some of these modules which will be run by our experts. We will suggest interesting and relevant topics which will be discussed as business cases with the students - says Jakub Budzyński, Stakeholder Manager at RWE Renewables.

- We will share our knowledge - adds Piotr Żeglarski, Business Development Manager in Seaway 7. - Our Chief Engineer will present a case study of a real project from the preparatory stage to its completion, through the whole implementation and risk analysis.

One of the EOW MBA partners is also Ørsted, a leading developer of offshore wind farms already present on the Polish market, cooperating with PGE and ZE PAK in offshore farms projects.

- On behalf of Ørsted, the world leader in offshore wind energy, I would like to thank the authorities of Gdynia Maritime University for inviting us to become a partner of the unique in Poland, but also one of the few in the world, Executive Offshore Wind MBA programme - said Joanna Wis-Bielewicz, Head of Market Development at Ørsted. - During the studies, Ørsted experts will share their knowledge and 30 years of experience in building and managing offshore wind farms in an innovative and sustainable way. With this project we can support the development of the Polish supply chain, Polish workforce, as well as the innovation of the Polish economy through the development of offshore wind farms in Poland.

The Polish Offshore Wind Energy Society is also involved in the Executive Offshore Wind MBA studies as Programme Partner. Mariusz Witoński, President of the Polish Wind Energy Society, stresses that not much time is left to educate personnel for the OWE industry, but the opening of the investment field should be viewed as a long-term task.

- First initiatives in the field of education for the OWE sector were undertaken in Poland already several years ago. Nevertheless we will now receive significant reinforcement from academic centres in terms of educational programmes concerning not only postgraduate programmes, but also first and second degree studies. Certainly, we should also immediately start preparing personnel on technical and vocational level, because in 2-3 years Polish companies will offer long-term, well-paid jobs in a modern and innovative sector of the Polish economy - offshore wind energy - says Witoński.

Both Witoński and representatives of companies already operating in the offshore wind energy sector claim that the demand for professionals is very high already and will increase in the coming years. That is why companies operating in the sector are pinning their hopes on the Executive Offshore Wind MBA at Gdynia Maritime University.

- Our list of expectations is quite long. Above all, our philosophy of working in new and emerging markets like Poland is based on building a value chain in these countries. This is the only way we can build the market in the long run and draw on its resources and work for the benefit of all. Apart from that, yes, we do see staffing needs. Our market is quite big, the time horizon is significant - says Piotr Żeglarski from Seaway 7.

- We hope that the MBA programme at Gdynia Maritime University will make the job market more attractive for candidates with whom we will soon be able to discuss employment, perhaps also in our company in connection with development plans of RWE on offshore wind market in Poland. These studies are unique in Poland as they are the first ones, therefore we hope that this blend of knowledge and practice in the form of advanced know-how in the area of project management and the specifics of offshore wind will result in a large increase in the number of people fully prepared to start their professional careers in this sector in Poland, but also in Europe, and perhaps even more broadly, in the world - says Jakub Budzyński from RWE.