The University of the Virgin Islands and the Nevis Island administration signed a historic agreement on Friday, Nov. 2, designed to attract more students from Nevis to UVI.
Joseph Parry, the premiere of Nevis, visited UVI’s St. Thomas campus to join UVI President Dr. David Hall in signing the memorandum of understanding establishing the agreement. Under the agreement, graduates from the Nevis Sixth Form College will be allowed to attend UVI at a tuition rate of 1.75 times the rate charged to residents of the Virgin Islands, less than the normal non- resident tuition rate. The agreement covers both undergraduate and graduate programs. It also commits the Nevis Island administration to provide scholarships or annual financial support for students from Nevis who choose to study at UVI. The agreement is historic as it represents the first time that UVI has entered into a specific agreement with the government of a Caribbean nation. UVI’s Board of Trustees approved the agreement at its regular meeting on Oct. 27.
“I see this as a wonderful day for UVI, but I also see this as a wonderful day for Nevis,” Dr. Hall said. “We have had some outstanding students from Nevis who have not only performed well in the classroom, but have been student leaders. We know that we are tapping into a dynamic and well-trained reservoir of talent,” he said.
Premiere Parry said that his government touts a mantra of education that has the ability to create economic mobility. “We encourage our students to go to the Caribbean to get their first degree,” Premiere Parry said. “These exchanges will help to bring the islands closer together and help strengthen the bonds between the islands.”
Two students from Nevis who are among those already studying at UVI, Aujeunelle Brown, a sophomore accounting major, and Abigail Parry, a freshman business major, joined UVI administrators on hand for the signing and subsequent news conference.