UWI to offer joint Masters degree in sustainable development
THE University of the West Indies (UWI) is collaborating with four other universities in different island nations to offer a Master’s level degree in Sustainable Development, starting this September.
The degree, which will be delivered online by lecturers from the five universities, has been described as ‘revolutionary’ by UWI vice chancellor, Professor E Nigel Harris. The programme, he said, will complement UWI’s existing programmes in areas such as environmental and waste management, and would give the university greater global reach.
“It is revolutionary in terms of a programme being delivered by a consortium of universities across the world,” Professor Harris told the Observer Wednesday at his office on the Mona campus.
The UWI vice chancellor heads the University Consortium of Small Island States (UCSIS), which was established as a follow-up to the United Nations Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) held in Barbados in 1994 and a subsequent meeting in Mauritius in 2005.
Professor Harris explained that these conferences identified a need for SIDS to build their knowledge capacity to tackle the problems common to such states throughout the world. Some of these problems, he said, include natural disasters, environmental degradation, waste management, and issues relating to energy and trade.
“There needs to be knowledge capacity in these countries and a need to develop programmes and policies to address these challenges,” the professor told the Observer.
In addition to UWI, the other members of the UCSIS include the University of the South Pacific, the University of Mauritius, The University of Malta and the University of the Virgin Islands.
On Wednesday, Professor Harris signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), under which UNESCO will contribute financial and technical assistance to the UCSIS to facilitate the preparation of the courses for the Master’s programme.
Paolo Fontani of the UNESCO office for the Caribbean said UNESCO hoped to serve academic advancement and the national needs of the SIDS by facilitating the new programme.
