The UWI Regional
Headquarters, Jamaica. Friday, October 9, 2020—The
University of St Martin (USM), after a decade of working in close
partnership with The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open
Campus, expressed an interest in joining The UWI global system which
includes joint centres with ten international universities. The UWI
Council discussed the concept note and approved it in principle
earlier this year, asking Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary
Beckles and his team to develop a road map with a full proposal for
further consideration. That process began with the signing of an MOU
between the two universities on Wednesday, October 7, 2020.

Vice-Chancellor of
The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Ms Valerie
Giterson-Pantophlet, President of the Board of USM met virtually to
sign the MOU which marked a historic partnership, not only between
the universities, but significantly for the framework for
collaboration and regional development now established between the
Dutch Caribbean and English-speaking territories of The UWI.

As an Economic
Historian, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles
brought context to the importance of the occasion, noting that after
528 years almost to the date, of Christopher Columbus’ entry into
the region on October 12, 1492, that this is “A historic and
courageous project that seeks to reverse the legacies of the Columbus
project, to put those legacies behind us so that we can go forward as
one people, one sovereign nation, one civilization.” He identified
that until now, the indigenous civilization of the Caribbean has been
broken and fragmented by imperial interventions. “This
is a moment in which two universities have agreed to transcend all of
these divisive relationships and to pursue that common goal which is
to build capacity to strengthen the next generation and all the
peoples of the Caribbean.”

Prime Minister of
St Maarten, the Honourable Silveria Jacobs, fittingly delivered
remarks during the virtual ceremony which was livestreamed on UWItv.
She expressed her delight in seeing the MOU become a reality, noting
that education plays an important role especially for a small island
developing nation. “We are happy as government to facilitate,
assist and promote any collaborations especially within our region
whereby our people will be empowered. It is in keeping with our
government’s aim to be progressive with education and with our goal
to better equip our citizens with future knowledge goals and skills.”

President of the
Board of the University of St Maarten Foundation, Mrs. Valerie
Giterson Pantophlet, declared that the venture is “one that will
allow USM to further its goals of preparing a cadre of professionals
that is equipped with the regional and global knowledge in order to
advance the healthy development of our countrymen and women.” She
added, “We have found that in order to maintain our destiny and
identity and autonomy as the national institute for higher education
in St Maarten, it is necessary to extend our hands in friendship with
respect to each of our trajectories as well as recognising the
historical, cultural ties we share.”

One of the first
tangible outputs from the MOU will be a Bachelor of Science degree
programme in social work by The UWI Open Campus and USM, expected to
begin in 2021. President of the University of St Martin, Dr. Antonio
Carmona Baez, who served as Chair for the proceedings, qualified the
need for the new BSc programme, saying, “In the aftermath of
Hurricane Irma, the University of St Martin had to rethink its
purpose and role in recovery and national development. We came to
realise that there’s a demand to initiate a social work degree
programme that speaks to the needs, material and spiritual conditions
of the diverse St Maarten family…We really needed to put our
academics in contact with professionals and scholars in the region in
order to co-create a programme that is beneficial to the local
population; a population which more than anything reflects the
diversity of our Caribbean peoples.”

The island’s
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honourable
Rodolphe Samuel also delivered remarks at the ceremony. He said his
Ministry is pleased and fully supports the signing of the MOU,
indicating that it is “A significant milestone for educational
growth and development among our island and the Caribbean region.”
He added, “The accomplishing of this mission can only be achieved
through mutual respect, unwavering commitment and systematic
cooperation.”

Delivering closing
remarks at the ceremony, Dr. Luz Longsworth, Pro Vice-Chancellor,
Global Affairs at The UWI and Principal of its Open Campus remarked,
“As the higher education landscape changes vertiginously in this
pandemic, it is clear that while we may socially distance, this is
not the time for our islands in the Caribbean to physically isolate.
We must push forward together towards even more critical
collaboration.” She explained, “The journey to this day started
many years ago and I am pleased that our Open Campus is already
making this MOU an ‘MO-do’ with the development of the BSc in
Social Work with our colleagues at USM.”

In addition to the
BSc programme, this MOU provides a framework that is expected to
enable the two universities to enter into an even closer
institutional partnership within The UWI system which will attract
more students as well as higher levels and greater strategies for
research, ultimately leading to the generation more revenue for both.
For the wider Caribbean, the historic partnership model demonstrates
the implementation of a stronger Caribbean education response to the
challenges facing the region.

Photo
Captions:

1. 
   Professor
   Sir Hilary Beckles displays his signed copy of the MOU between The
   University of the West Indies and the University of St Martin.
   
2. 
   From
   left: Vice-Chancellor of The UWI,
   Professor Sir Hilary
   Beckles; President of the University of St Martin, Dr Antonio
   Carmona Baez; and President of the Board of the University of St
   Maarten Foundation, Mrs Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet celebrate the
   historic partnership between The UWI and USM.
   
3. 
   Pro
   Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs and Principal of The UWI Open
   Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth delivers closing remarks.
   
4. Prime
   Minister of St Maarten, the Honourable Silveria Jacobs, delivers
   remarks at the virtual MOU signing event between The UWI and USM.
   

Recorded live stream of the virtual signing event:

Go to YOUTUBE

Individual
speaker clips:

1. 
   Welcome
   and Introductions – President of the University of St Martin, Dr
   Antonio Carmona Baez
   
   

https://www.dropbox.com/s/j3wpzwfwysq7wlh/Dr.%20Antonio%20Carmona%20Baez_converted.mp4?dl=0

1. 
   Remarks
   – President of the Board of the University of St Maarten
   Foundation, Mrs Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet
   

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kgpgltjejsd6dhi/Mrs.%20Valerie%20Giterson%20Pantophlet_converted.mp4?dl=0

1. 
   Greetings
   – Prime Minister of St Maarten, the Honourable Silveria Jacobs
   
   

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2cp0aoklfw3htyz/Hon.%20Silveria%20Jacobs_converted.mp4?dl=0

1. 
   Remarks
   – Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, St Maarten,
   the Honourable Rodolphe Samuel
   

https://www.dropbox.com/s/82yy40ruf9d4sxb/Hon.%20Rudolphe%20Samuel_converted.mp4?dl=0

1. 
   Remarks
   – Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Professor
   Sir Hilary Beckles
   
   

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yfudz9ci9udph7j/Prof.%20Sir%20Hilary%20Beckles_converted.mp4?dl=0

1. 
   Closing
   Remarks – Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs and Principal of The
   UWI Open Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth
   https://www.dropbox.com/s/qkjp5pg86l7e92f/Dr.%20Luz%20Longsworth_converted.mp4?dl=0