Haiti and Guyana sign inter-university agreement

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti -  Haiti and Guyana have signed a framework agreement for inter-university cooperation between four Regional Public University (UPR) and the University of Guyana (UG).

The agreement was signed by Jean Elie Gilles the UPR Rector and the President of UG, Antoine Primerose in the presence of Thomas Poirier, a representative of the French Embassy here.

The four-year agreement is a first in academic cooperation between Guyana, Haiti and a department of France located in South America.

Four universities involved in the project are the Southern Public University in Les Cayes (UPSAC), the Public University of Artibonite in Gonaïves (UPAG), the Northern Public University in Cap-Haïtien (UPNCH) and the Public University of Nippes (UPNIP) which together have a student population of 11,000 students

The authorities say the agreement will make it possible to implement cooperation actions between these universities: development and participation in training programs, development and participation in joint research programs, facilitation of access to scientific knowledge as well as the exchanges of teachers, researchers, technical and administrative staff according to the specific needs.

Under the terms of the cooperation agreement, in order to carry out the planned actions, the partners will seek the necessary financing, in particular from national and international authorities and bodies for the development of higher education and inter-university cooperation.

An official of the Ministry of Education here, Narcissus Fièvre, in welcoming the agreement said it had been the subject of discussions for two and a half years and Gilles said it would be beneficial to the university community in both countries.

Primerose said the agreement opens new horizons for the University of Guyana given that there is also a strong Haitian community in Guyana.