Purpose of the model course The primary principle behind the IMO model course is to help maritime training institutes and their teaching staff to organize the development of simulator training courses at the micro level in a way to give integrated simulator training to mariners. The model course will also assist the training institutes to enhance their existing capabilities so that the final outcome adds value to the skills of the mariner for its application on board a ship in a real working environment. The model course can at best be described as a guideline@ which when used with discretion can bring about uniformity in the world of maritime training. However@ the intention of this model course is not to provide a package that is to be applied blindly. In any training mechanism@ the presence of a trained instructor can never be underestimated or substituted. The knowledge@ experience@ skills and sincerity will always act as the lynchpin in transferring knowledge as the primary part of training. The quality of the instructor is thus the key to efficacy of transfer of knowledge to the trainees. They not only need to be qualified but be able to have a sound understanding of the working environment on board a ship. The sensitivity on part of the instructor will be an important factor to link the material for training (be it on a simulator or in the classroom) with the psychology of a seafarer in order to create as close a real life scenario as is possible. Only then can the post-training implementation be hoped for. Education systems around the world are a function of cultural backgrounds. And these vary considerably from region to region. The success of this model course will therefore rest on the fact that it can guide the application universally. It has been drawn using a large canvas to identify the basic requirements and stipulations of IMO conventions and related recommendations related to maritime simulator training.