On Thursday, April 4th, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and Anguilla Community College (ACC) signed a new, 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) intended to advance the Human Resource Development platform on Anguilla. According to UVI’s Dr. Haldane Davies, Vice President for Business Development and Innovation, the MOU is “…not just an educational ar-rangement – it is also an economic development and sustainability arrangement.”
The new MOU will diversify the education options available as it will facilitate Anguillian students’ attendance at any of the UVI campuses. The MOU will help establish a clear route for transfer of ACC credits to UVI, and a seamless transfer from ACC Associate Degrees into UVI Baccalaureate programmes. Additionally, the MOU will launch a UVI scholarship assistance programme, for eligible students on Anguilla, that is expected to offer approximately US $6,000 per annum per student, starting from Fall 2019.
Dr. Karl Dawson & Ms Carla Harris
Dr Dawson, President of the ACC, sees the new MOU as significant because the ACC has the dual responsibility of preparing individuals for the workplace as well as facilitating the achievement of higher degrees for persons on Anguilla. The MOU allows motivated individuals to attain an academic qualification at a more economical cost by starting locally on Anguilla, at the ACC, before moving on to any of UVI’s campuses including UVI Online.
Students will not be the only beneficiaries. The MOU offers the possibility for collaborations on joint research projects financed through US government grants – so that individuals and institu-tions on Anguilla can participate in cutting edge research projects. Moreover, faculty and staff of the ACC are expected to benefit from exchanges and attachments for professional development.
The ACC-UVI partnership is poised to have a powerful educational and economic impact on our island’s development.
– Press Release
