KINGSTON, Jamaica — The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) has officially partnered with a number of international universities to offer up to 50 per cent tuition waiver to all new and returning students for the summer 2020 semester only, beginning in May.

The UCC said all new and returning students will now be able to learn more affordably, while pursuing their degree, via video-based lectures, from the comfort of their home or office at a special tuition waiver of up to 50 per cent of the cost of traditional on-campus or previously online lectures.

The university said the waiver was made possible through unique international partnerships with several top, accredited universities, particularly in the United States.

“UCC plans to enhance its online degree provision, and to encourage student enrolment during the summer semester, by combining its new LMS platform MICON (Multi-Media Interactive Courses Online) with this other relatively new international platform, through which highly curated, video-based courses and content will be offered online by doctorally-qualified, international faculty members, who are based at well-regarded universities abroad,” University President and Executive Chancellor, Professor Dennis Gayle said.

“This provision will be made by means of a recent licensing agreement with the new LMS (learning management system) provider, allowing for the creation of additional learning modules, as necessary, in keeping with all current UCC course curricula, content, learning outcomes, contact hour, and assessment methods,” Gayle said.

The UCC said that through this integrated platform, most UCC modules will now be taught by top online faculty members from over 100 leading universities including Yale University, University of Michigan, Princeton University, McMaster University, University of California and the University of Chicago.

The university said these new partnerships will provide access to high-quality, pre-recorded, video-based courses and modules, which will facilitate online learning, in addition to live classes on Zoom delivered by local UCC faculty, coupled with live or on-demand one on one tutorial sessions.