UCCI KICKS OFF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR WITH SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR FACULTY AND STAFF

As part of its commitment to quality education, UCCI launched its 2024 academic year with an intensive professional development initiative for faculty and staff, held throughout this August. This programme focused on enhancing quality assurance in teaching and learning, with seminars and interactive sessions designed to explore best practices in assessment design, implementation, and feedback strategies.

As part of this, forty faculty and staff members at the University College of the Cayman Islands completed City and Guilds Quality Assurance training. The training was conducted by Professor Gossett Oliver. Professor Oliver was awarded the highest honour from the City and Guilds of London Institute, becoming the third person in the Caribbean region to receive the prestigious title of Fellow of the City and Guilds of London Institute. Additionally, he is a former Vice President of the School of Graduates Studies and Entrepreneurship at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Dr. Oliver highlighted the importance of continuously improving the education product and commended UCCI for its proactive, systematic training as well as the engaged and enthusiastic participation of UCCI faculty and staff.

Dr. Robert Robertson, President and CEO at UCCI commented, “The training was designed to improve the quality of UCCI programmes and instruction that enables us to empower our students and take them through a journey where they can gain their skills, transform themselves and create the future they desire. A huge thank you to Dr. Oliver for visiting us on this occasion.”

Other global speakers at the professional development week were:

Dr. Rohan Jowallah from the Centre for Distributed Learning at the University of Central Florida, who presented on Current Pedagogical Methods that Engage University Students and AI and the Fostering of Inclusive and Ethical Education.

Dr. Natalie Currie-Patterson, Associate Director of Educational Development at Brock University’s Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, who led sessions on Using Feedback to Improve Learning and Assessment Strategies for Effective Teaching and Learning.

This initiative reflects UCCI’s commitment to continuous improvement in education, ensuring that faculty are equipped with the latest tools and techniques to enhance student learning outcomes.

Main Registration Week is also currently underway at UCCI, running from August 26 to August 30, 2024. This week is an opportunity for prospective students to enrol in a wide array of programmes, including newly introduced courses in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Primary Education, Cybersecurity, and more.

UCCI continues to expand its curriculum to meet the needs of a rapidly changing job market, ensuring that students are well-prepared for future careers. Faculty and staff are available throughout the week to assist with the registration process and provide guidance on programme selection.

Dr. Robert W. Robertson, President and CEO of UCCI, continued, “Our Professional Development Week was instrumental in setting the tone for the upcoming academic year. We are grateful to our distinguished guest speakers, Dr. Rohan Jowallah, Dr. Natalie Currie-Patterson, and of course Professor Gossett Oliver, whose insights will undoubtedly enhance our teaching practices. I would also like to extend our thanks to the Ministry of Education for their support and to Sunset House for their generous support in accommodating our global partners, which made this initiative possible. Also, thank you to our Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Education for planning the activities of the week. We are now ready to kick start the new academic year with some amazing new programmes, and invigorated faculty and staff.”

For more information about UCCI’s programmes or to register for classes, visit www.ucci.edu.ky  or contact the UCCI admissions office.