The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) has today announced that it will be hosting the 2025 Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions (ACTI) Conference this March. This three-day conference, scheduled for March 26 - 28, 2025, represents one of the most comprehensive gatherings of educational leaders in the region, focusing on innovative approaches to higher education in the Caribbean context. ACTI’s AGM will also be held on the UCCI campus on the 25 March and a Welcome Reception will follow in the evening.
The Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions Inc. (ACTI) is a leading organization dedicated to advancing higher education across the Caribbean region. Through its annual conferences and ongoing initiatives, ACTI works to strengthen educational cooperation and innovation among Caribbean nations. This conference serves as a platform for academics, practitioners, and industry experts interested in education to share ideas, network, and explore recent findings pertinent to the tertiary education sector. The collective goal is to advance tertiary education in the Caribbean region, thereby enhancing local communities.
This year’s conference, themed Re-imagining Higher Education - Impacting Economic & Social Transformation in the Caribbean arrives at a crucial time when educational institutions across the region are adapting to rapid technological changes while addressing pressing regional challenges. The focus is on how Higher Education institutions can be positioned as future-forward, agile, flexible entities with transformative strategies that drive social and economic advancements across the Caribbean region, characterized by its diverse cultures and economic landscapes.
The programme is structured around four key themes that are particularly relevant to the Caribbean’s development.
• The Reality of Artificial Intelligence in the Caribbean: Exploring AI’s transformative potential within the Caribbean’s unique socio-economic and cultural context, including its impact on sectors like tourism, agriculture, and financial services, as well as addressing social challenges such as healthcare access and educational equity.
• Operational Optimization in Higher Education: Focusing on principles and practices that help tertiary institutions enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service delivery while maintaining academic quality.
• Inclusive and Innovative Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Emphasizing the need for diversity among students and staff in Caribbean tertiary institutions and exploring best practices to enhance socialization and effective participation, aiming for sustainable regional development.
• Caribbean Regional Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Action: Addressing challenges in ensuring food and nutrition security due to limited agricultural infrastructure, climate change susceptibility, and reliance on imports, and discussing integrated approaches like climate-smart solutions and community-led initiatives.
Dr. Geneve Phillip-Durham, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University College of the Cayman Islands, commented, “This gathering of Caribbean educational leaders in Cayman represents a pivotal moment for our region’s academic future. The conference themes directly address the unique challenges and opportunities facing Caribbean nations, from technological adaptation to climate resilience, making this an essential forum for shaping our educational landscape”.
Taking place over three days, the intensive conference sessions will address each of the main themes, with particular emphasis on practical applications and regional cooperation. A special students’ forum has been integrated into the programme, demonstrating ACTI’s commitment to including student voices in discussions about the future of Caribbean education. All conference sessions will be hosted at the UCCI campus, reinforcing the institution’s role as a hub for educational innovation in the Caribbean.
The conference has implemented a tiered registration system to encourage broad participation:
• Member institutions: USD 650 per person
• Non-member institutions: USD 750 per person
• Daily rate: USD 250 per person
• Group discounts available for delegations of five or more
• Special provisions have been made for student participation
Registration is now open through the ACTI Secretariat or by visiting www.acti-carib.org . For information and registration and conference programming, interested parties should contact the ACTI Secretariat at acti.office@yahoo.com . For sponsorship opportunities and exhibitor booths, please contact gdurham@ucci.edu.ky .
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