The University of the West Indies (UWI) has often been viewed as a lengthy-standing partner to Caribbean Governments in fostering integration and development of our people, and forming strategic alliances.

CARICOM member states are now considering the establishment of a single marketplace economy. This will imply the general removal of all legal and administrative restrictions to trade. Elevated competitors amongst these states is therefore unavoidable. The capability of member states to survive the results of trade liberalisation will amongst other things depend on the capacity of its human sources and its learning institutions. The function that UWI is enjoying in enabling the people and nations of the region to make the transition will therefore arrive under great scrutiny. Numerous, including graduates of the University, believe that &quotUWI merely isn’t doing enough!&quot

UWI’s function has been assessed based on modifications in its curriculum, the degree of intellectual discussion stimulated on the subject amongst people of the region and the extent to which it has facilitated item development by enhancing the regions access to specialised training and technology transfer.

A major criticism levelled against the University is that it has failed to employ revolutionary strategies and radical curriculum engineering in achieving the transformation required to strategically address the problems dealing with the region.

To the query of whether or not the University has enhanced the intellectual capacity of the people of the region, the solution is an emphatic yes. But when asked whether or not its efforts have equalled these of trustworthy universities about the world, the response is not equally convincing.

Caribbean entrepreneurs argue that UWI has not instilled in its graduates, the dramatic modifications in perspective and perspectives required to assist the company sector in confronting the problems of the CSME. Amidst a climate of higher unemployment amongst graduates, the see is that UWI is not equipping its graduates to k opportunities for self-employment. Rather, UWI is churning out bookworms that lack entrepreneurial vision!

The query has also been asked about whether or not the University has increased opportunities for regional cooperation in human, economic and social development. No doubt, it has played a critical and significant function in integrating the people and nations of the region. In reality, it can be argued that UWI has played a pivotal function in advancing the spirit of cooperation and integration that has made the Caribbean single marketplace a actuality. In comparison to the &quotmuch-lauded&quot CARICOM Federation, the continuing achievements of the University of the West Indies dispel the arguments that the region cannot unite.

But is UWI doing enough to assist graduates to confront the modifications in the international trading atmosphere and the implications for little, open economies like ours? There is only so a lot that institutions of the region, such as UWI can do. The company sector armed with a more educated workforce should now do the rest.

1 thing is particular. UWI has more than the years engendered a spirit of regional cooperation and Caribbean identification. Without a doubt, the University, as a regional institution, has served as a beacon in bringing the people and nations of the region together. To suggest otherwise is to be overly critical and to underscore the efforts of the Governments, University Officials and Graduates who have contributed to this process. But amidst these efforts, University Officials admit that the numbers of OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) registrants continue to decline. More and more students of the region are searching in the direction of programmes at foreign universities, albeit self funded and more costly. Why is that? The solution might lie in the reality that the university has itself failed to adapt to the altering climate.

The existing economic climate demands the region’s tertiary learning institutions to swiftly provide a broad base of skilled professionals. This, it is believed, will set in motion the potential for the region to compete with the mega trade blocs that have emerged, in recent time. This demands that our learning institutions facilitate more wide spread and inexpensive access to education for the people of the region. The Created Nations have resorted to on-line distant learning programmes to achieve this objective. Admittedly, one of the compelling shortcomings of UWI is that whilst major universities about the world have effectively founded trustworthy on-line learning programmes, &quotUWI is still attempting to play catch up.&quot The absence of an effective on-line learning programme that facilitates prevalent and price effective access to tertiary education, says it all. In the context of our geography, it is indicative of the University’s inability to adequately position itself to meet the requirements of the people and nations of the region.

Who is to say that UWI’s strategies and timing are not in maintaining with the demonstrated requirements of its people? The actual query is what function should UWI play in planning the region for CSME. Is there a defined function or a specific element for which it should assume responsibility? The problem of whether or not UWI is doing enough or what it should be doing will stay a subject for debate. What is past dispute is that UWI can and should be doing more to put together the region for the problems of the CSME.

Eldonna Lendor is a Company Strategist, Trade Consultant and Corporate Attorney. Her combination of Law and Company underscore her uniqueness as a Little Company Consultant inside the current trade atmosphere. She has assisted many little businesses in decline to address weaknesses in their operations, enhance their products, become export ready and transform their losses into revenue. She takes a unique curiosity in assisting little businesses and would-be entrepreneurs to much better comprehend problems relating to international trade and doing much better company. She is the CEO of http://www.patantconsult.com and publisher of eXplosion!, an ezine which offers guidance to little company entrepreneurs. She is the co-founder of http://www.talkcsme.blogspot.com, a weblog, which discusses problems impacting individuals and businesses in the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).