Public Defence: Hasan Mahbub Tusher

Hasan Mahbub Tusher will defend his PhD degree in Nautical Operations. His dissertation is a study of virtual reality (VR) in maritime simulator training and assessment.

02 Oct

Practical information

  • Date: 2 October 2025
  • Time: 09.00 - 15.00
  • Location: Vestfold, Auditorium A1-36
  • Download calendar file

    • Link to digital participation on Zoom

    Programme

    09.00. Trial Lecture: 

    11.00. Public Defence: Virtual Reality (VR) in Maritime Simulator Training and Assessment: Navigating the Technology, Practices, and User Perceptions for Effective Integration.

    The disputas will be hosted by Head of Department, Tor-Inge Myklebust Lie.

    Assessment committe

    • First opponent: Associate Professor Reza Emad, University of Tasmania
    • Second opponent: Professor Momoko Kitada, Head of Maritime Education and Training (MET), World Maritime University
    • Administrator: Associate Professor Thomas Brekke, University of South-Eastrern Norway

    Supervisors

    • Principal supervisor: Professor Salman Nazir, University of South-Eastern Norway
    • Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Steven Mallam, University of South-Eastern Norway
    • Co-supervisor: Professor Ziaul Haque Munim, University of South-Eastern Norway
    • Co-supervisor: Professor Lokukaluge Prasad Perera, The Arctic University of Norway
Any questions?

Hasan Mahbub Tusher is defending his dissertation for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

Hasan Mahbub Tusher skal ta forsvare sin PhD

The doctoral work has been carried out at the Faculty of Technology, Science and Maritime Studies.

You are invited to follow the trial lecture and the public defence.

Summary

The future of maritime workplaces is becoming incredibly sophisticated, characterized by advanced automation, artificial intelligence (AI) within dynamic and complex socio-technical environments. We need state-of-the-art training methods and tools to train the future generation of seafarers to ensure safety and sustainability of maritime operations.

The current challenge is to ensure high-quality maritime education and training (MET) in a cost-effective and risk-free manner. Virtual Reality (VR) simulators offer immense opportunities to address these challenges. As VR technology is becoming more accessible alongside a plethora of other advanced simulation technologies, questions arise: why, how, and when should VR be used for maritime training?

This PhD project aims to critically examine the suitability of VR for maritime simulator training, thereby providing a strategic framework for its adoption in MET — first by exploring the technical possibilities, and then by investigating maritime users’ perceptions — including those of instructors and students — toward VR technology.

The four (04) appended articles in this thesis address questions surrounding the technical suitability of VR in professional skill training while highlighting the uniqueness of maritime education and training. Additionally, the instructors’ perspectives on using VR simulators compared to full-mission, desktop and cloud simulators are investigated. Further, different factors potentially influencing students’ perceptions toward using VR simulators are also explored, including but not limited to their perceived cognitive benefits, self-efficacy, and learning autonomy.

The scientific methods and analytical frameworks developed and applied in this PhD project could potentially assist educators, technology developers, and users in the effective adoption of VR in maritime training and beyond.