Alandica Shipping Academy (ASA) provides maritime education and training in ÃÂ land, Finland. It commenced operations in 2020. ASA offers basic and refresher courses for seafarers, as well as training at the vocational high school and college levels. Education takes place at ÃÂ lands yrkesgymnasium, ÃÂ land University of Applied Sciences, and Alandica Shipping Academy's own facilities. ASA also uses the school ship M/S Michael Sars for training. ASA is a member of the IASST.
Alandica Shipping Academy's courses are certified by both the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) and the Swedish Transport Agency. The courses meet the international standards of the STCW Convention (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers). ASA continues to offer STCW courses, a role previously held by its predecessor, ÃÂ land Maritime Safety Center, which began offering these courses in 1999. Key STCW courses include:
ASA coordinates vocational maritime education with ÃÂ lands yrkesgymnasium (ÃÂ land Vocational High School). Programs offered include:
ASA offers degree programs in maritime studies in cooperation with ÃÂ land University of Applied Sciences. These include:
In autumn 2019, the Government of ÃÂ land decided to establish Alandica Shipping Academy (ASA). The aim was to foster collaboration among three key maritime educational institutions: ÃÂ land University of Applied Sciences, ÃÂ lands yrkesgymnasium, and the former ÃÂ land Maritime Safety Center. This collaboration was intended to enhance marketing efforts and provide more customer-oriented education, in accordance with ÃÂ land law 2003:17.
1854 Navigation education in the àland Islands commenced at àlands folkhögskola (àland Folk High School).
1868 Mariehamn Navigation School () was founded. The school trained nautical officers for the North Sea and Baltic Sea.
1874 Education of Sea captains began.
1935 Mechanical engineering education started at (Mariehamn Higher Navigation School).
1938 The Mariehamn Navigation School building, designed by architect Lars Sonck, was completed.
1944 became (ÃÂ land Institute of Marine Technology).
1961 àlands sjömansskola (; Eng: àland's Seaman's School), now part of àlands yrkesgymnasium, was founded.
1997 ÃÂ land Maritime Safety Center was founded.
2003 became part of ÃÂ land University of Applied Sciences.
2005 The M/S Michael Sars became a school ship, owned by the Government of ÃÂ land and operated by the ÃÂ land Maritime Safety Center.
2020 Alandica Shipping Academy was founded. The ÃÂ land Maritime Safety Center was incorporated into Alandica Shipping Academy, which now also coordinates maritime education offerings from ÃÂ land University of Applied Sciences and ÃÂ lands yrkesgymnasium.