The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) announced on Friday that it is inviting students, representatives from the financial sector, and other stakeholders to participate in a public lecture on its main campus on Tuesday, June 11.

The lecture, which will take the format of a town hall meeting in the main lecture theatre, will focus on Jamaica’s experience under the current Stand-By Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Stand-By Arrangement is an economic programme of the IMF which gives financial aid to a member state in need of such assistance, normally arising from a fiscal crisis.

Jamaica’s 36-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF will end this year.

“The distinguished lecture will provide students and all other participants an opportunity to engage with IMF officials, evaluate Jamaica’s experience under the current Stand-By Arrangement, and discuss the way forward after the agreement ends,” University of the Commonwealth Caribbean president and executive chancellor, Professor Dennis J Gayle said.

The lecture will begin at 5:30 pm and will feature speakers such as: Dr Uma Ramakrishnan, IMF economist and mission chief to Jamaica; Dr Constant Lonkeng Ngouana, IMF resident representative for Jamaica; and a member of the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC).

UCC is the largest non-affiliated, privately owned university in Jamaica. The institution is internationally accredited by the UK-based Accreditation Services of Independent Colleges and Universities (ASIC), and is currently working towards institutional accreditation from the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ), based upon its recent designation and award of candidacy status.