UWI Vice Chancellor visits

University of the West Indies Vice Chancellor Professor Nigel Harris, on a one-day visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, believes that an Open University campus would benefit the island territories that do not have actual campuses.{{more}}

Harris, speaking at a media conference at the UWI School of Continuing Studies on Monday, October 29th, said that the innovation, which is still in its early stages of development, would benefit a much larger West Indian population, which may not have access to an actual University campus in Barbados, Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago, due to either financial or other personal constraints.

The 61-year-old Guyanese national who has been Vice Chancellor since 2004 said that the virtual campus, when it comes on stream, would be able to facilitate persons who would not be able to travel because of the cost of tuition and accommodation, among other things, or who may have commitments to work and family.

According to Harris, a virtual campus would not be as much of a burden as enrolling in at Cave Hill, St. Augustine or Mona campuses, and would contribute to the human resources development of that country.

He indicated that the campus would cost in excess of US$300 million dollars and would have an administrative centre to be based most likely in an OECS territory.

Next year, the University will celebrate 60 years of service to the Caribbean, with a full year of activities at the three campuses and throughout the region.

While here, Harris met with local University alumni at the Peace Memorial Hall in Kingstown. (JJ)