Overview
The proliferation of tertiary level institutions within the region in the last two decades of the 20th Century has brought to the fore the need for an educational environment with organizational structures, administrative policies and systems for these institutions to operate efficiently. Indeed the expansion and complexity of tertiary institutions all over the world calls for sophisticated skills and the shouldering of immense responsibilities. The role of the administrator has changed. There is now a new career in university administration. The Association of Caribbean Higher Education Administrators is the region’s response to these realities. The Association of Caribbean Higher Education Administrators (ACHEA) was launched at an Inaugural Conference in July 2001 at the Mona Campus of The University of the West Indies.

The Objectives of the Association are:

	To develop and maintain a code of conduct and guidance for its members regarding their professional work.
	To organize discussions, conferences, seminars and workshops on various issues in higher education administration.
	To publish newsletters and such other publications as The Association shall determine from time to time.
	To establish and promote networking opportunities and mentoring support for administrators in higher educational institutions in the Caribbean.
	To foster links and exchanges with similar organizations in higher education overseas.
	To seek funding and to engage in fund-raising activities to enable The Association to carry out its activities

The Way Ahead
ACHEA operates through 5 Standing Committees
The Finance and Fund raising Committee
The Membership Committee
The Professional Development Standing Committee
The Public Relations Committee
The Publications Committee

The Association has quickly put in place the fundamentals of a meaningful, relevant organization.

	In July 2002 the Constitution was presented for the approval of members at the Annual General Meeting.
	A Strategic Plan for the period 2002-2005 has been developed.
	The provision of training and development programmes has started.
	Policies and plans are being developed to increase the membership of the Association as well as the involvement of members in its activities.

Professional Development
The Association realizes that training and staff development are of paramount importance in establishing a cadre of administrators who can play a leadership role in advancing the development of regional higher education institutions.

It also recognizes that a concentrated effort has to be made to generate interest in regional tertiary level institutions not presently involved and invite their participation in the programme and objectives of ACHEA. This would be accomplished through the mounting of workshops in selected Caribbean territories.

The Association’s vehicle through which this training is being provided is the Professional Development Standing Committee. It is anticipated that membership will be grouped into Chapters, namely:

	The Barbados and the OECS Chapter out of Cave Hill Campus, UWI
	The Jamaica and the Western Caribbean Chapter out of the Mona Campus, UWI
	The Trinidad & Tobago Chapter out of the St. Augustine Campus, UWI
	The Guyana Chapter

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