The program activities included the start of seven Masters Program: Economic Policies and Reforms for Development, Public Sector Management, International Business, Tropical Architecture, Monument and Cultural Heritage Conservation, Natural Resource Management and Agricultural Diversification offered by the Universities of West Indies (UWI at Mona, Cave Hill and St. Augustine Campuses) Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra at Santo Domingo, Recinto Santo Tomas de Aquino (PUCMM/RSTA) Universidad Catolica de Santo Domingo (UCSD) and Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Ureña (UNPHU).

Funds to cover scholarships for the seven Masters Programs to benefit nationals of the Cariforum Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana; Haiti, Jamaica, St. Christopher & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago.

The Director of the Program Management Unit asked that students be prepared to tolerate ambiguity, and not to get angry and not to take things personal. Sometimes things had to be arranged at the last minute, or a least not as far in advance as in other countries. It was a complex program and needed adjustments to be submitted to the authorisation of higher authorities. Students knew that everyone working for the program was concerned about their wellbeing.

Spanish Training Component

All foreign students needing language training in Spanish participated in a program offered at PUCMM/RSTA. The overall objective of the Language Training Component was to prepare students to receive instruction in Spanish by the development and delivery of language training programs structured around the special needs of those selected.

This program included an intensive course of Spanish (Beginner to Advanced Levels) and a series of lectures on the history and culture of the Dominican Republic in order to familiarise the Caribbean student with Dominican People.

Some visits to the interior of the country were also organised to give students the opportunity to travel outside the city of Santo Domingo and became acquainted with other regions in the island.

Five specialised seminars were also included: Intercultural Communication, Introduction to the use of Computers and Internet Surfing, Research and Study Methods, Diplomatic Protocol and Oratory.

Results of Spanish Training Component:

1. The first Euro-Caribbean university proyect involved more than three hundred persons and twenty countries from 1997 until 2003.

2. One hundred fifty Caribbean students learned Spanish as second, thirth or even fourth language. All of them defended their thesis in Spanish.

3. Professionals of 14 nationalities met Dominican students and families. We cannot forget anyone. Greetings for our students from Haiti, Suriname, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Belize, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Guyana, Antigua, St. Kitts and Bahamas.

4. American students shared our Dominican and Caribbean life through the semestral program for international students.

5. The Spanish as second language training was born like proyect until become the ESL department.

6. New friendships, new marriages, new families were born...

7. A successful academic program and exciting experience made our staff ready to meet a new challenge.

Links

The University of West Indies, Joint Programs
The Caribbean University Level Program (CULP)