The National University “Odessa Maritime Academy” today held a solemn induction ceremony for its new first-year students. Around 700 students were admitted to the academy this year, including approximately 500 first-year students and nearly 200 students enrolled in master’s programmes.
The new cadets are pursuing careers in navigation, marine engineering and electro-technical engineering. During the ceremony, they took the cadet oath and officially joined the academy’s cadet ranks.
The induction ceremony is a long-standing tradition at NU “OMA”, reflecting the institution’s maritime heritage. The academy traces its roots to 1944, and the annual oath serves as a link between generations of maritime professionals.
The new intake was welcomed by the academy’s leadership, faculty members and invited guests, including Serhii Hrynevetskyi, a Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and former head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, and Mykola Nezavityn, President of the Odesa Sea Captains’ Association.
The guests congratulated the cadets and wished them success in their studies, while encouraging them to uphold the traditions of Odesa’s maritime school.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of cadet badges and academic record books.
This year’s intake comes after a period of uncertainty surrounding the future of Ukraine’s maritime higher education institutions. Government plans to reorganise the country’s higher education network included a proposal to merge NU “OMA” with Odesa National Maritime University. The academy retained its independent status and continues to operate as a separate maritime education institution.
The enrolment of 700 students also reflects the steady demand for Odesa’s traditional officer training for the commercial fleet.
The new cadets will combine classroom studies with practical training on bridge and engine-room simulators before undertaking their first sea-going apprenticeship.
