Over 1,200 new and returning students registered for classes at ROYTEC this year. These include a BEd programme, a BBA programme and a Diploma programme. Registration took place without a hitch and an Orientation programme for new students was led by Campus Registrar, UWI St. Augustine, Mr. Jeremy Callaghan on Saturday 9 September.

A team from St. Augustine has been managing the transition with good support from ROYTEC staff and with the assistance of an RBTT team. Campus Registrar Jeremy Callaghan leads the UWI team while Mr. Glen Cheong leads the RBTT team. Dr. David Rampersad, Director of Business Development at UWI has been the main liaison with ROYTEC staff.

Discussions are continuing between UWI and the University of New Brunswick on a range of issues and a team from the University of New Brunswick is due to visit UWI in November.

Plans by UWI include managing ROYTEC with a small administrative staff, strengthening academic quality and extending the reach of ROYTEC. ROYTEC accepts students with good CXC grades and offers them the option of a four-year degree. UWI St. Augustine, on the other hand, requires students to have strong Advanced level scores for a three-year degree. ROYTEC will eventually be integrated into the UWI system. What form that integration takes, how the strengths of both institutions will be maximised, and how the relationship between UWI and traditional ROYTEC partners such as the University of New Brunswick will evolve, are challenges which will require mutually satisfactory resolution.

Principal of the St. Augustine Campus Dr. Bhoe Tewarie is very optimistic however: “I intend to make this a win-win proposition for all parties; most of all for the students in terms of their options; but I see room for cooperation, collaboration and mutual gain for all players. I look forward to the partnership building process.”