Higher Education Institutes are consistently being challenged to maintain their relevance in a globalised competitive world. As the wider Caribbean moves towards further integration, with initiatives such as the Caribbean Single Market Economy, Caribbean Court of Justice, Association of Caribbean States etc., there is even greater need to surmount the traditionally self-perpetuating geographic, linguistic and cultural fragmentation of the region. Taking the lead from the synergies created by these new initiatives and through the use of new virtual technologies, a consortium of seven universities with a special interest in Caribbean issues is developing a Virtual Masters Programme in Caribbean Studies.

The Project evolved out of the Association of Caribbean States and its development has been stewarded by LACC, including a UNESCO funded Project Planning Workshop to lay the foundation for course development and identify the technological and administrative support required.

The Online Masters in Caribbean Studies earmarks graduates and professionals from the Wider Caribbean region, whose aim is to be knowledgeable of the region’s history, geography and culture as well as addressing environmental, socio-political and economic issues, in order to make meaningful contributions to regional development. Given the virtual modality of its delivery, the programme is also expected to attract candidates internationally.