he UWI Open Campus, Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, February 11, 2020. The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open Campus and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to facilitate cooperation in education. This ceremonial signing of the agreement took place on January 29, 2019 at the Open Learning Resource Centre on the Mona Campus.

This is a “long overdue relationship”, said Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth, “which will create an active partnership and, being involved at all levels where we can have mutual benefit and together extend our footprint across the Caribbean, is one of our strategic advantages.” Dr Longsworth affirmed that, “our mantra of opening doors to life-changing learning is at the heart of why we enter into these partnerships and we are excited about the possibilities that this MOU will open to collaborate with the ACCA, the premier organization for certification in accounting.”

With this collaboration, ACCA will undertake to work together with The UWI Open Campus to explore and implement mutually rewarding initiatives aimed at benefitting the students of both bodies, with particular focus on establishing much-needed tuition and exam centre resources across select Caribbean islands where these are deficient. While The UWI Open Campus will explore potential exemptions from the ACCA qualifications for the benefit of its students and consider tuition and computer-based centre options as part of ACCA’s exemption and accreditation programmes and approved learning provider and CBE centre resources.

Mrs Shelly-Ann Mohammed, Head, ACCA Caribbean who signed the MOU on behalf of ACCA said, “This two-way partnership between ACCA and The UWI Open Campus will provide much needed support to ACCA students in many regions who do not have ready face-to-face tuition and computer-based exam centre options, as well as introduce an opportunity for prospective students who had not before considered pursuing a professional designation.”  She noted in her remarks that ACCA as a global brand, with 110 national offices operating in 179 countries worldwide, is grateful for the role that The UWI Open Campus can play to the Caribbean region where UWI Open Campus graduates can be provided local access to training from ACCA, networking opportunities with ACCA members and exposure to the accounting profession in a whole new way. She added that she was very excited about the partnership and the fulfilment of the vision that has been several years in the making.  

In emphasizing the importance of this collaboration, Ms Maria Sookdeo, Manager – Partner Relations and Communications, ACCA who has been instrumental in taking forward the discussions with The UWI Open Campus said, “we are excited that both organisations have reached this juncture as engagements towards this partnership were initiated over several years.” She added, “It is ideal that we are partnering at this point and opening the doors towards a fruitful partnership as we look forward to implementing the objectives outlined in the MOU.”

In giving closing remarks, Ms Anneshia Welsh, Head, Business Development Unit, The UWI Open Campus, describes the MOU signing as a landmark arrangement for the campus, which will enable students at the Open Campus to graduate with an internationally recognised professional certification alongside their academic degree.

“We envisage that this partnership between The UWI Open Campus and ACCA will foster and grow from strength to strength as we provide access to programmes and learning opportunities,” she concluded.

Senior members of staff from both institutions were in attendance to witness the signing.

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Photo Caption: Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth (right) and Head of ACCA Caribbean Mrs Shelly-Ann Mohammed signing the MOU. Looking on are Manager – Partner Relations and Communications, ACCA, Ms Maria Sookdeo (left) and Head, Business Development Unit, The UWI Open Campus, Ms Anneshia Welsh.

About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 208,000 members and 503,000 students in 179 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 104 offices and centres and more than 7,300 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

Throughout our history, ACCA has formed global partnerships, which are central to our ability to deliver our qualifications and services internationally. Our global network has afforded students the ability to study for the ACCA Qualification all over the world. We have 17 joint exam partnerships with national accountancy bodies around the world that allows their trainees to qualify using the ACCA Qualification structure. We also have more than 80 global partnerships with accountancy bodies, universities and international donor communities. Visit our website: https://www.accaglobal.com

About The UWI

For over 70 years The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has provided service and leadership to the Caribbean region and wider world. The UWI has evolved from a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948 to an internationally respected, regional university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and an Open Campus. As part of its robust globalization agenda, The UWI has established partnering centres with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Africa including the State University of New York (SUNY)-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development; the Canada-Caribbean Studies Institute with Brock University; the Strategic Alliance for Hemispheric Development with Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES); the UWI-China Institute of Information Technology, the University of Lagos (UNILAG)-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies and the Institute for Global African Affairs with the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. 

As the region’s premier research academy, The UWI’s foremost objective is driving the growth and development of the regional economy. The world’s most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, has ranked The UWI among the top 600 universities in the world for 2019, and the 40 best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean for 2018 and 2019.The UWI has been the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. For more, visit www.uwi.edu.

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)