Up to 1888 there were no Universities operating in Jamaica and education stopped at the high school level with JC at the pinnacle of this system. For tertiary education one had to go overseas, primarily to England, the mother country. Fifty years after the ending of the apprenticeship system in Jamaica the education system was about to change as through partnership with the University of London, a tropical outpost of that same university was established in the Simms building of the Jamaica High School in 1888 known as the University College of Jamaica.

Both institutions coexisted in the Simms Building from 1888-1890 but sometime after the commencement of operations at the University College in 1888 the decision was taken for the construction of the campus’ second building, now known as the Scotland Building. The construction of the campus’ second most iconic building was completed in 1889 and classes commenced for the academic year 1890, which represented a school year from January to December at that time. The University College continued operations until 1902 when it was eventually merged with the Jamaica High School to become Jamaica College (The Jamaica College Magazine, 1904).