The International Association for Quality Assurance in Pre-Tertiary and Higher Education (QAHE) and the American University of Business and Social Sciences (AUBSS) are pleased to announce that Dr CJ Manjarres-Wahlberg has been awarded the Doctor of Science in Maritime Safety and Leadership (Honoris Causa). QAHE has further admitted him as an International Affiliate Member (IAQAHE). The honorary doctorate recognises a career that has joined military and merchant service, safety leadership, and practical education for people who have historically been under-represented in the maritime workforce. Born in Melbourne in 1978, Dr Manjarres-Wahlberg served in the Royal Australian Navy and later in the Australian Army Reserve. His naval service included deployments and exercises across the Asia–Pacific, humanitarian and peacekeeping tasks, fisheries patrol in the Southern Ocean, and work on the decommissioning crew of HMAS Torrens. He subsequently worked in safety, emergency management, and maritime operations in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and Malaysia. He holds postgraduate qualifications in safety, environmental management, strategic leadership, and maritime and shipping management, and in 2024 completed a Doctor of Business Administration in maritime safety at the Swiss School of Business and Management Geneva. He is a Chartered Risk Manager, an Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, a Professional Member of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management, and holds further fellowships and memberships in leadership, management, and professional practice. He serves as HSE Manager and Designated Person Ashore (Australia) for Heron Group New Zealand, as an adjunct lecturer in leadership on the University of Wollongong OHS master’s programme, and as an ambassador for CHIRP, the United Kingdom charity concerned with confidential reporting and safety in maritime and aviation settings. The honorary title Doctor of Science in Maritime Safety and Leadership reflects the meeting of technical safety and command responsibility in his work: incident prevention, human factors, organisational culture in high-risk environments, and the leadership required to turn safety systems into daily practice at sea and ashore. As Chairman, Director, and First Officer of the Sea Heritage Foundation, a registered Australian charity, he has led the development of competency-based maritime training, including the “Get into Maritime” pathway launched in 2022 with support associated with The King’s Trust Australia and delivered in partnership with TAFE NSW. The Foundation reports high completion rates among Indigenous participants against a much lower national vocational baseline, and has moved toward a Maritime Training Academy model with registered-training and industry partners. The honour is honorary. It acknowledges distinction already shown in professional and civic life. It does not constitute a taught research degree, does not confer a licence to practise, and does not replace statutory maritime, defence, or safety credentials. In parallel, QAHE has granted International Affiliate Membership (IAQAHE). This individual membership category recognises professionals in teaching, training, or education who meet QAHE’s published requirements. It lists the member in QAHE’s professional community and supports association with the organisation’s quality-assurance work. Individual membership is distinct from institutional accreditation and does not accredit the Sea Heritage Foundation, Heron Group, or any other organisation with which Dr Manjarres-Wahlberg is connected. QAHE and AUBSS congratulate Dr CJ Manjarres-Wahlberg on both distinctions. Further information is available at www.qahe.org and www.aubss.edu.pl.
