feb-2018c

8 9 OPENING LINES B arbados isprovingtobeanattractive location for internationalmedical universities.Themost recentones tosetupthereareBridgetown Inter- nationalUniversity(BIU) andVictoriaUniversityof Barbados (VUB),both located inSt.Michael.Theybringthe numberof internationalmedical schoolsoperatingonthe islandtoseven. BothBIUandVUBareexpectedtoaccept their first in- takeof students–approximately500each–fromSeptem- ber1,2018.Theywill consistofpersons fromIndia,Ghana, Sri Lanka,SouthAfrica,andNepal.The twoschoolshave teamedupwithoneof India’s largest educationproviders, RusEducation IndiaPvt.Limited,toensure that theventure isasuccess. Duringa recentmeetingwithMinisterof Education,Sci- ence,Technologyand Innovation,Ronald Jones,chairmanof RusEducation IndiaPvt.Ltd.,DrS.K.Washimdisclosedthat therewereplans inanother fiveyears tobuildacampus in Barbados toaccommodate5,000students. Additionally,bothuniversitieshavecommittedtoencour- aging investments for the island intheareasof tourism, housing,retail,andother infrastructure.Washimpointed out that thecollaborationwithBIUandVUBwasexpected togenerateapproximatelyUS$300million inrevenue into the local economyover thenext fiveyears. Jones saidthe introductionofmedical schools inBar- bados sevenyearsagowasaneffortonthegovernment’s part topumpmoremoneyintotheeconomyduringtough financial times: “Barbados isanopeneconomyandsince2007/2008we [started] goingthroughmanyof theeconomicstrictures broughtonbythecollapseof the financialmarkets.All of these issues impactedonBarbados sowehadto findways andmeansofseekingtorestructure the fundamentalsof theeconomy–those thingswhichwouldgenerate invest- ment,finance,infrastructural development,etc.And,medi- cal education isoneof thoseareaswhichwehaveusedas amomentumtohelpaccelerate thatdevelopment. “It is beginning to showthe kind of results that we want but it will still take between five to ten years to fullymaximize the full potential of that.[BIU andVUB] will be the final twowhichwill be granted a charter.I think this gives usmore than enough capacity to build out that sector,”the EducationMinister stated. Washimemphasized that the universities were ac- credited and had some of the best tutors in themedical field.He noted that his companyhad recruited teachers from India,Barbados,and other Caribbean countries. “Wewill not compromise on qualityandwewill provide the best qualityof education so that our graduates can go to anycountry in theworld andworkas doctors,”he asserted. BARBADOS BECOMINGMEDICAL EDUCATIONHUB