A bill to establish a new national tertiary institution—the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies—is expected to be tabled in Parliament when it convenes on April 8.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed the development during his _Pointe FM_ radio programme on Saturday. He said the proposed legislation will create a single academic institution by consolidating existing entities such as the Antigua State College, the Hotel Training School, and others.

“We’re consolidating all of the institutions— ABICE, Hotel Training School, and so on, State College—into a single college,” Browne explained.

While the name of the institution includes the term “university,” Browne clarified that it will not operate as a university in the formal sense, but rather as a college of advanced studies. “University operates at a higher level,” he said, pointing out that additional accreditation and academic infrastructure would be required for university status.

The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen tertiary education and streamline the delivery of higher learning in Antigua and Barbuda. The exact structure and governance of the new college will be outlined in the legislation to be brought before Parliament next month.