UCJ championing quality

AS SOCIETY has become increasingly knowledge-based and skills-driven, tertiary education has had to innovate and grow to meet these rising expectations. As a result, tertiary education in Jamaica, across the Caribbean and around the world has been undergoing tremendous change in order to keep up. The sector is unquestionably more diverse than ever before, comprising new types of institutions, new modalities for delivery, a more varied student population and a growing demand for tertiary education.

Conscious of the changing higher education landscape, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) has continued to be the champion of quality assurance for the tertiary education sector in Jamaica for 30 years. As the UCJ celebrates its 12th annual Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education Week, much emphasis will be placed on sensitising the public on the importance and multi-faceted dimensions of quality in tertiary education.

INSIGHT INTO PLANS

The theme for the week, ‘Enhancing and Sustaining a Quality Culture: Preparing for Institutional Accreditation’, gives us insight into the UCJ’s plans for the future of tertiary education in Jamaica. For quality to be a success, a quality culture must be nurtured and sustained throughout all units and departments of the institution and embraced by staff at all levels. CANQATE looks forward to continued collaboration with the UCJ as we work towards the harmonisation of quality assurance practices throughout the region. RONALD BRUNTON, PHD President, CANQATE