The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (The UWI FIC) met with officials from the T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) in Grenada on March 11 and 12 to advance collaborative initiatives aimed at expanding educational opportunities for students in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
The delegation from The UWI FIC included Campus Principal Professor Justin Robinson, Assistant Registrar of Admissions and Graduate Studies, Jenifer Hughes, Co-ordinator of BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice programme, Dr. Kamecia Blake, Co-ordinator in the School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Samantha Marshall, and Manager of Marketing, Communication and Commercialisation Shavar Maloney.
The TAMCC team was led by Principal Andrew Abraham and included Dr. Philomena Cato and Moricia Japal-Ledlow, Coordinator, Access/Professional Studies.
The discussions centred on strengthening institutional collaboration and streamlining academic pathways for TAMCC students transitioning into The UWI FIC programmes. Several key areas examined included exemptions and 2+2 articulation agreements that would enable students to complete associate degrees at TAMCC before transferring to complete bachelor’s degrees at The UWI FIC.
Following the meetings, both institutions agreed to negotiate a formal Memorandum of Understanding to codify their partnership.
Principal of The UWI FIC, Professor Justin Robinson, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. “Our partnership with TAMCC represents our commitment to working with important partners to create pathways for students in the OECS to access higher education,” Robinson said. “By building these bridges between institutions, we are ensuring that more students can pursue advanced degrees without unnecessary barriers, ultimately strengthening the human capital of our countries and the sub-region.”
Meanwhile, Principal of the T.A. Marryshow Community College, Andrew Abraham highlighted the local impact such pathways would create for Grenadian students. “We are committed to ensuring access for students of TAMCC into programmes that will equip them to help take Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique forward,” Abraham said. “This partnership will open doors for our young people to gain the qualifications and skills needed to drive development across our nation as well as position themselves in this globally competitive environment.”
The proposed collaboration aligns with The UWI FIC’s broader mission to expand access to quality tertiary education throughout the Eastern Caribbean while supporting the development goals of OECS member states.
The UWI Five Islands, established in 2019 as the fifth campus of The University of the West Indies, represents a significant milestone in Caribbean higher education. Located in the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, this institution brings world-class education to the heart of the Caribbean.
As part of The University of the West Indies system, which has been consistently ranked among the best universities in the world by the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI Five Islands upholds the same standards of academic excellence that have made The UWI a beacon of educational achievement in the region.
The campus offers a comprehensive range of over 40 degree programs spanning both undergraduate and postgraduate levels across four distinguished schools: School of Humanities and Education, School of Business and Management, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Science, Computing and Artificial Intelligence.
The campus is also proud to house The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE), reflecting the institution’s commitment to marine science research and sustainable ocean-based economic development—critical areas for Caribbean nations.