The University of West Indies (The UWI) has boldly sought to fill the gaps in the regional aviation sector by adding two new bachelor’s degrees.
From the new 2024/2025 academic year, UWI Cave Hill Campus will introduce a Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation Management with a pilot license.
Speaking to local media during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with interCaribbean Airways, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis said:
“These two exciting new academic programmes were developed in conjunction with BAASeC [Barbados Aircraft and Aviation Services Company Limited] at the national level, and at the cirrocumulus level, Canadian Aviation Electronics [CAE Inc], one of the most respected aviation companies that provides training for international airlines.”
The UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor added that the MOU with the regional airline carrier – interCaribbean underscored the university’s commitment to contributing to the development and sustainability of the aviation industry.
“As we sign this MoU, we are, in effect, committing ourselves to the idea of seamless travel within our region, bridging islands, cultures and aspirations. The MoU envisages a comprehensive scope of comprehension between UWI and interCaribbean Airways across four domains – research, analysis, workforce development and advocacy.”
“I think we can all agree that a comprehensive approach is necessary to restore Caribbean air travel to the required standard, particularly interregional travel, which has been battered by excessive, external shocks,” he continued.
Dr Dion Greenidge, CEO of the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management disclosed that the bachelor’s will be an intensive full-time three-year commitment.
For candidates pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Aviation Management with a pilot license, ground training will commence in Semester 2, Year 1 between January and May.
“Embedding flight school and ground training will allow cadets to acquire the bachelor’s of business administration in aviation with a commercial pilot license. That enables them to fly for positions of first officer with a commercial airline or air operator in Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and beyond.”
“Students who wish to pursue a commercial pilot license will complete the ground school training simultaneously with the Bachelor of Business Administration aviation degree in Years 1 and 2 of their full-time programme at the UWI Cave Hill campus,” he outlined.
In the third year of the bachelor’s, students will transition to the flight training component of the programme, which will be delivered at CAE Inc in Phoenix, Arizona, while completing their additional courses virtually.
