MIDDLETOWN, RI, and LONDON, April 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VideotelTM, the leading international provider of e-Learning maritime training programmes and a company of KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI), has announced a partnership with the Marine Learning Alliance (MLA), a U.K.-based specialist in marine industry education and training, to award credits toward a bachelors or masters degree of science (BSc or MSc) to seafarers who have completed certain Videotel courses.
The MLA, part of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), issues degrees through the U.K.’s Plymouth University, and recently launched a Sustainable Maritime Operations suite of programmes for a BSc Honours or MSc degree. MLA is revising its academic entry criteria so that individuals applying to the Sustainable Maritime Operations programme who have completed Videotel courses can be given credit for prior learning where appropriate. The arrangement will involve a career consultation between an applicant and one of the MLA admissions tutors.
“Our new Sustainable Maritime Operations focus is ideal for seafarers wishing to transition ashore. Working with a quality training provider like Videotel means that we can offer students exemption from particular modules so long as they have proof of any relevant training programmes taken,” notes Dr. Richard Thain, chief executive and academic director of the MLA.
The Sustainable Maritime Operations programme is designed to enable students to gain a wider understanding of the maritime industry while also studying marine technology, project management, leadership, regulations, and maritime sustainability.
“Having our training programmes recognized by the MLA for maritime-specific degree qualifications and diplomas accredited by Plymouth University is testament to the accuracy and relevant practical detail contained within them,” says Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel. “We carefully research our programmes and with every production, our experienced in-house team seeks the highest levels of quality and accuracy, consulting hand-picked industry subject matter experts who make up our highly respected steering committees. What’s more, we continually update our material as regulations and operational practices change.”
Videotel’s training solutions are in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, and include 950 new and updated titles to meet current seafarer training needs. The Videotel programmes are available in a range of formats, including 500+ e-Learning courses, more than twice the number of computer-based training (CBT) programmes offered by competitors. Videotel has been a leader in developing training material since 1973 when the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the forerunner to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), wanted to improve the quality of training materials available to seafarers and called on the company’s services. Videotel has recorded more than 11 million training events in recent years, and its training programmes have been recognized with nearly 100 awards.
Note to Editors: For more information about MLA, please visit the MLA website for a video about the new Sustainable Maritime Operations suite of courses: https://www.mla-uk.com/our-courses/bsc-msc-in-sustainable-maritime-operations. For more information about Videotel’s entire array of maritime learning programmes, please visit the Videotel website, www.videotel.com.
About Marine Learning Alliance
Marine Learning Alliance Ltd (MLA) is based in Plymouth, U.K., and is a specialist in marine industry education & training. MLA is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). Starting out as a business unit of Plymouth University in 2012, MLA has grown rapidly by offering courses that employers recognize and students value as important qualifications to further their maritime careers. It became its own company in 2014. Plymouth University continues to be the awarding body for all the MLA degree qualifications.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 200,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. Videotel, a KVH company, is the market-leading provider of training films, computer-based training and e-Learning. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company’s global presence includes offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
KVH and Videotel are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.