CMU and UTECH Sign MOU

The Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) that will provide for the development of academic and educational cooperation and promote relations and mutual understanding between the institutions.

CMU President, Professor Andrew Spencer and President of UTech, Dr. Kevin Brown, affixed their signatures to the agreement at the CMU’s main campus in Kingston on Tuesday (March 11).

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Professor Spencer said that the cooperation between two of the Caribbean’s powerhouses in innovation and higher education will transform the region by providing cutting-edge solutions to various challenges.

He explained that under the arrangement, UTech will have access to the CMU’s Festo experience, which includes laboratories in mechatronics, electric vehicles and Industry 4.0.

With UTech known for its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ethos, the alliance augurs well for the future of technology and innovation in the region, he contended.

“When the national university and the only International Maritime Organization (IMO)-accredited university in Latin America and the Caribbean come together, only amazing, transformative and powerful things can happen for the population and in particular for our young people,” Professor Spencer said, adding that “the rest of the world will understand just how innovative Caribbean people are”.

The UTech President, for his part, said that the signing of the MOU between the two universities is an important milestone in the nation’s history.

Dr. Brown said that the partnership will be beneficial not just to the two institutions but Jamaica.

“We want to use this partnership to enhance our research output on Optics and Photonics and also explore other opportunities around programmes, joint degrees… so I am really happy with the outcome today and I really look forward to putting this MOU to work,” he added.