Educators discuss Knowledge City

Stakeholders and academics gathered yesterday to flesh out details surrounding a new educational and business initiative, Caribbean Knowledge City.

During a round-table discussion at The Gleaner's North Street, central Kingston, offices, representatives from JAMPRO, the private sector, media and universities bounced ideas off each other in order to facilitate an innovative programme that will address knowledge development and investment in the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean Knowledge City is expected to become a hub for the region, where students and researchers from all over the world are able to develop new skills through the knowledge centre while earning credits towards their various university degrees.

The Knowledge City is the brainchild of Dr Winston Adams and Dr Grace Turner, president and vice-president, respectively, of the University College of the Caribbean.

The idea has been in its abstract state for approximately three years and a profile was presented to the attendees as the steering committee prepares itself to start working on a business plan.

The innovative hub has also been endorsed by the ministries of industry and commerce and education.

Development of economies

The Caribbean Knowledge City's aim is to support the development of economies that are based on knowledge.

"Ideas are something that could end up in the Knowledge City to see how this could have relevance for the whole Caribbean," Turner said.

Brand Jamaica is also expected to be promoted as a destination for tertiary education and as a point of export of educational products, results of innovative and mind-blowing research.

"The Knowledge City is an enterprise zone so it's really a mix of academia and business. It's really about giving opportunities to enterprises and businesses," Adams said.