 Over the past five years, the TLI Unit has
been very active in the areas of franchising of UWI’s programmes and assessment of
Associate Degree programmes for articulation with UWI Bachelor’s degree programmes.
In 2000, negotiations concluded on behalf of programmes at Management Institute for
National Development (MIND), College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE),
Institute of Management Sciences (IMS) and Institute of Management Production (IMP) in
Jamaica in evidence of such activity. Work is also in progress in respect of
franchise of Level II Social Sciences programmes to MIND and IMP and assessment of
Associate Degrees in Accounting from MIND, Associate Degree in Management Information
Systems (MIS) offered by Excelsior Community College and the Associate Degrees in Human
Resource Management, Cooperative Studies, and Labour offered by Cipriani College of Labour
in Trinidad. During the year under review, the focus has been expanded, however.
There was increased co-operation with education and training institutions in the
private sector. Additionally, there were initiatives to promote, in more fundamental
ways and at the regional level, co-operation in professional development of tertiary
educators and administrators as well as collaborative development and assessment of
courses and programmes across the region. This year also showed increased emphasis
on the dissemination of tertiary education information through publications.
Private and Public Sector Co-operation
Private and public sector co-operation in education and training has become more
important in the Caribbean not only because of its cost-effectiveness but also because of
its contribution in these small states with limited resources to relevance and efficiency.
It is significant therefore that the TLI Unit was able to assist in the
University’s acceptance of the Certificate of the Life Underwriters Association of
Jamaica as an alternative qualification for matriculation to UWI.
Similarly, the assessment of the Certificate, Diploma and Associate of Institute of
Banking of Trinidad and Tobago (IBOTT) was concluded and agreement reached to extend
matriculation and advanced standing status for some courses to high achieving graduates.
In this way, increased tertiary education access has been institutionalized for two
important private sector groups - life underwriters and bankers.
The transition of students from the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism
Institute, Trinidad Campus to UWI was made smoother through the conclusion in October 2000
of a two plus two agreement with UWI which allows successful graduates of high standing to
enter UWI and earn a Bachelors degree in Hotel and Tourism Management in an additional two
years. A similar arrangement is being explored for the Trinidad and Tobago
Hospitality and Tourism Institute, Tobago Campus.
Some progress was also made in Barbados since the Barbados Institute of Management and
Productivity (BIMAP) graduates are now able to matriculate and earn an increased number of
course exemptions with credit from the Faculty of Social Sciences at any campus of UWI.
Professional Development
The College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT)
was launched in September 2000 and has, as one of its mandates, the introduction of
Associate Degrees in a number of disciplines and departments. In response to its
request, the TLI Unit organized and conducted in July 2000 a two-day workshop which
focused on the Associate Degree. This was attended by 107 participants from Trinidad
and Tobago, Jamaica, Barbados and the Untied States.
Assistance in professional development of TLI staff also included in September 2000 the
second phase of an Institutional Quality Assurance project which was implemented in
collaboration with ACTI and through Commonwealth Secretariat funding at the Barbados
Community College and T.A. Marryshow Community College, Grenada, using expertise from City
College, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
The Antigua State College also received developmental assistance from the TLI Unit in
April 2001 when the Director, TLI Unit, played a lead role in their two-day professional
development workshop which focused on “Developing Excellence to Optimize
Students’ Performance”.
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