Work of the UCJ to be Highlighted

The work of the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) is to be highlighted during the sixth annual Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education Week, which commences on Sunday, February 7.
The theme for the week is: ‘Quality Tertiary Education for the 21st Century: the Role of Institutions’.
Executive Director of the UCJ, Dr. Ethley London, told JIS News that among the objectives are to inform and educate stakeholders on the work of the UCJ and the value of accreditation.
“[We want] to inform and educate students, parents, employers, educational institutions, other stakeholders and the general public about the work of the UCJ. We also want to highlight the role of the UCJ as a quality assurance body as well as to emphasise the value of accreditation in ensuring quality in tertiary education. There is an emphasis on the role of institutions in promoting quality for improving tertiary education,” she explained.
A number of activities are scheduled to take place during the week, including the third Lecture in the Dennis Irvine Lecture Series at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts on Monday, February 8, starting at 5:30 p.m. The lecture will address the topic: ‘Quality Assurance in Tertiary Education: The Ever Changing Balance of Power’.
“I would like to invite the entire public to go to Edna Manley College on Monday to listen to Mr. Richard Lewis, Former President of the Open University in the United Kingdom, who should be quite interesting. He is quite experienced and [attendees could] also find out what’s happening in other parts of the world in terms of quality assurance in tertiary education,” the Executive Director said.
Other activities include a Launch and Awards Ceremony and Joint Committee for Tertiary Education (JCTE) workshop on February 9, at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge and Conference Centre, at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.
Dr. London informed that at the end of the week stakeholders, especially students, would be greatly impacted.
“Students are the focus of attention in these times of economic constraints and so it’s good that they choose a programme and an institution that is accredited or that is recognised, because we hope to improve their chances of finding employment and also their chances of furthering their education,” she noted, while pointing out that the public would learn more about the benefits of quality assurance.
“We are hoping to have a public that is better informed about the benefits of quality assurance and especially the form of quality assurance known as accreditation. We would also like to sensitise the public about the role of the UCJ and that it can enhance global competitiveness of our graduates and also the global competitiveness of our country. If we have trained people, quality qualifications, quality credentials actually leaving this country…it would be good for the competitiveness of our country, since UCJ’s accreditation is recognised not just nationally, but regionally and internationally,” Dr. London affirmed.