UNIVERSITY College of the Caribbean (UCC) announced last week that the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology (ABIIT) will be its primary partner in Antigua to offer four bachelor degree and two graduate degree programmes.

Starting in late August, UCC will offer bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Information Technology, Human Resource Management and Marketing; all of which are accredited by University Council of Jamaica –the national accrediting body in Jamaica.

The UCC’s Commonwealth Master in Business Administration (MBA) and Master in Public Administration (MPA) will also be offered at the ABIIT in the new school term. Applicants will also have the option of selecting to do their degree programmes via UCC Online, a hybrid programme which allows students to complete most of their courses online and complete others in face-to-face classes.

Under the agreement signed in early May by UCC’s president, Winston Adams and ABIIT’s vice-president/director of external relations, Nelson Simon, qualified graduates of ABIIT may register to complete their bachelor’s degree on the ABIIT campus facility. The arrangement will also allow graduates of other institutions and qualified members of the public to pursue their undergraduate as well as their graduate degrees at the St John’s, Antigua facility.

“I am pleased that we can provide through our partners such an excellent opportunity for our recent and past graduates to continue their education right at home,” said Simon. “It makes better sense that we can provide a workforce with the advanced skills and knowledge required for meeting the challenges of this century.”

In his response, the UCC president stated, “The partnership will serve to deepen UCC’s presence in the region. Already, prospects are responding positively to having an alternative higher educational institution in the region.”

The University College of the Caribbean is a recognised private tertiary institution based in Jamaica offering courses at the diploma, associate, bachelor and master levels of education at 10 locations islandwide.

While the core areas of focus are business studies and information technology, UCC also offers advanced education studies and law at its main campus in Kingston. The Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology, which operates from its state-of-the-art facility in St John’s, Antigua, offers a range of diploma and associate degree programmes.