04.09.2026
DUBAI, UAE: Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to global industry engagement and professional maritime education, MLA College served as the official Networking Reception Sponsor for the 2025–2026 term at the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) Middle East Conference & Awards Night.
Held on 2 September 2026 at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, the flagship annual gathering brought together around 400 maritime professionals, senior executives, educators, members and students from across the world.
For MLA College, participating as an official sponsor was part of a deliberate, sustained effort to align higher education curricula with the evolving realities of global maritime operations. By maintaining a visible, active presence in key international maritime hubs like Dubai, the college continues to bridge the critical gap between academic theory, executive skill development and industry practice.
MLA College was represented in Dubai by Glenn Harris, Chief Operating Officer, and Arjun Sekhon, Partnerships & Alliances Manager. Throughout the conference and evening reception, the MLA delegation met with industry practitioners, enterprise partners and regulatory bodies to discuss workforce transition, continuing professional development and emerging talent demands across a rapidly modernising sector.
The delegation connected with senior leadership from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, including:
These discussions offered a forum to explore how flexible, distance-learning degrees and targeted qualifications can support seafarers transitioning ashore, as well as shore-based shipping executives seeking advanced strategic and operational capabilities.
As commercial shipping navigates regulatory shifts, decarbonisation targets, digital vessel management and complex supply chain realignments, maritime skills are evolving faster than ever. MLA College’s direct participation in gatherings like the ICS Middle East Conference ensures that the institution’s academic provisions remain responsive to real-time commercial challenges.
MLA College’s involvement in the Middle East is anchored in three primary educational priorities:
Sponsoring the conference’s dedicated networking space reflected MLA College’s foundational view that professional networks are central to long-term career progression and industry resilience.
Beyond panel sessions and high-level strategy debates, the ICS Middle East gathering served as an important platform for acknowledging academic and professional excellence. The evening featured a formal awards ceremony celebrating high achievers in the Institute’s professional qualifying examinations alongside leaders advancing operational best practice in regional logistics and shipping.
MLA College joined the wider gathering in congratulating the 2025–2026 award recipients and newly qualified members, whose achievements signify the bench strength of future maritime leadership.
MLA College’s presence in Dubai marks another chapter in its expanding international footprint. By partnering with historic professional bodies like the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, the institution reaffirms its mission to support maritime practitioners at every stage of their careers.
MLA College will continue to actively invest in international forums, industry partnerships and educational alliances that champion professional excellence across the global ocean economy.
MLA College provides industry-focused, flexible distance-learning programmes designed specifically for seafaring and shore-based maritime professionals.
Whether you are seeking to progress into senior executive management, transition your seagoing expertise ashore or broaden your understanding of sustainable maritime operations, our degree programmes deliver the credentials and knowledge needed to succeed. Learn more about our maritime degree programmes today.
