Front Row (L-R) Dr. Patrice Gouveia Marks, Dr Keith Nurse, Dr. Karen Bearce Back Row (L-R) Ronald Tyson, Jacki Belin, Inieka Stafford, Jacqueline Drummer, Torina Armstrong, Dr. Isabel Gutierrez-Bergman, Beau Younker

Dr Keith Nurse, President of the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), recently visited the United States between late February and early March 2023. The overarching purpose of his short visit was to establish relationships with tertiary-level Institutions (TLIs) in the United States.

At the first meeting on February 24^th 2023, Dr Nurse visited Marc Jerome, President of Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York. During this meeting, they signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a five-year agreement between the institutions to collaborate on curriculum development, facilitate student and staff exchanges, and conduct academic research.

On February 27^th 2023, Dr Nurse visited Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he met with Dr Charlene Chester, Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. They discussed educational approaches to addressing mental health issues among marginalized communities, as well as peer-to-peer learning opportunities between the two schools. They also agreed to a visit by Morgan State students and lecturers to Trinidad as part of a cultural and educational exchange in June 2023. During this visit, they committed to exploring the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) system that connects accredited courses, by linking the classrooms of two or more higher education institutions, each located in a different country or cultural setting.

Dr Nurse’s visit was not limited to New York and Maryland. Between March 1st and 3rd, he also paid a visit to Dr Anthony Wutoh, Provost of Howard University in Washington D.C.  They discussed articulation and student transfer agreements.  He also met with Dr. Farah Bennani and Dr. Denise Francois-Seeney of Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania.  Dr. Nurse also visited Raritan Valley Community College, New Jersey, where he met with members of the leadership and management teams, including Dr. Karen Bearce, Provost and VP Academic Affairs, Jacki Belin, VP Student Affairs and Outreach, as well as Dr. Patrice Marks, Dean of Liberal and Fine Arts, Business and Public Service, and the Adult College. These meetings focused on faculty, student and staff exchanges and exploring collaborative teaching opportunities in cutting-edge areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain technology.

These visits are significant towards creating opportunities for students and staff to gain a global perspective, acquire new experiences and skills, and contribute to the development of both institutions. Through these partnerships, both Trinidad and Tobago and the United States can also benefit from increased academic research and cultural exchange, leading to a stronger and more interconnected global community.

In conclusion, Dr Keith Nurse’s visits were successful as he established several alliances and laid the groundwork for partnerships with TLIs in the United States. It is evident that Dr Nurse’s vision for COSTAATT is to make it a leader in science, technology, and applied arts education not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but globally as well.