There are many career opportunities in the maritime sector of which students across Aarhus University should be aware. That is why Annette Skovsted Hansen, associate professor at the Department of Global Studies at Aarhus University, has launched the project "AU Maritime Gateway". With a grant of almost DKK 2 million from the Danish Maritime Fund, the project will open the doors to the maritime sector for the students. 

"The purpose of the AU Maritime Gateway is partly to make career opportunities in the maritime sector visible to students across Aarhus University, and partly to contribute with solutions to the sector's challenges. The project has both a recruitment and research perspective," says Annette Skovsted Hansen, who has extensive knowledge of global ports and shipping.

Throughout her research career, she has built up an in-depth knowledge of the maritime sector through several different research projects and networks. Among other things, she led two research project about the Port of Tema in Ghana. The first in collaboration with the Port of Aarhus and Danpilot with a focus on safety and efficiency, followed by a project focusing on port clusters, communication, and sustainability. Furthermore, she represents Aarhus University on the steering committee of the Maritime Research Alliance, which works to strengthen maritime research in Denmark across scientific disciplines and institutions.

Innovative solutions to maritime challenges
Maritime Gateway builds on an interdisciplinary approach, even though it is anchored at Global Studies at the Faculty of Arts. According to Annette Skovsted Hansen, most challenges cannot be solved on the basis of a single professional approach. It is about offering interdisciplinary answers that ensure holistic understanding and solutions.

The gateway idea is to create opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing between researchers from different faculties, as well as between maritime industries and Aarhus University's students and researchers. The project collaborates with industry organizations such as Danish Shipping and Danish Maritime, as well as several members such as Maersk, DFDS and Molslinien, to develop innovative courses and research projects.

Through interdisciplinary courses, workshops and research projects, AU Maritime Gateway will work with maritime challenges in the areas of security, sustainability, the environment, cultural understanding, and geopolitics. The goal is to develop courses that equip students to deal with the challenges of the future in the maritime sector.

"We are working to develop relevant courses and research projects that can give our students a deeper understanding of the maritime sector. We are planning new courses on regional and global perspectives on shipping routes with a focus on cultural, religious, technical, and geopolitical factors, as well as integrating international cultural understanding on ships into our course on intercultural analysis," Annette Skovsted Hansen elaborates.

Facts
AU Maritime Gateway is an initiative aimed at showcasing the numerous job opportunities in the maritime sector to candidates from all faculties at Aarhus University. Annette Skovsted Hansen has in-depth knowledge of the industry through networks such as the Africa Blue Economy Network, AU Maritime Research Initiative, Maritime Research Alliance, Global Ports and Shipping, as well as through research projects:

• Port Effectiveness and Public Private Capacity Development in Ghana (PEPP I)
• Port Efficiency and Public Private Cooperation for Competency (PEPP II)

The research project can later be followed here at www.maritime.au.dk

Contact

Annette Skovsted Hansen, Associate Professor
Department of Global Studies
School of Culture and Society
Aarhus University
Phone: +45 8716 2303
Mail: ostash@cas.au.dk