Caymanian students are being offered a chance to attend the New England Institute of Technology for free, with living expenses paid for, as part of a partnership with the University College of the Cayman Islands.
In a statement announcing the deal, UCCI noted that while it offers certificate and degree programmes in computer science and the building trades locally, students must travel overseas to pursue advanced studies and degrees in the high-demand sectors of cybersecurity and network engineering, electrical engineering technology, and construction management.
“For many, this is cost prohibitive even with the generous Cayman Islands’ Government scholarship, due to cost-of-living expenses being too high. For others, the young person is simply not ready to venture into independent, unsupported living in another country, at that stage in their lives,” UCCI stated.
To overcome these barriers, it has partnered with the New England university to offer an extension of the UCCI campus in Rhode Island, so that students can complete studies in these sectors.
NEIT has committed to providing on-campus accommodation and subsidised living expenses for Caymanian students, as part of a package worth up to US$10,000 a year, which will be awarded in addition to the Cayman Islands government scholarship.
“NEIT will also offer a fully integrated support package to every Caymanian student to ensure they are happy, healthy, and supported whilst away from home,” the statement noted.
UCCI president and CEO Robert Robertson said in the statement, “This unique partnership launches this month ready for a fall 2023 enrolment and UCCI and New England Institute of Technology are offering students the opportunity to complete their career education in the amazing Rhode Island. Only two hours north of New York, Rhode Island is a safe suburban township that will offer our students the opportunity to get amazing life experiences and build a stateside network of friends, colleagues, and peers.
“The only criteria is that students must be Caymanian and qualify for a Government scholarship. NEIT will kindly top-up this scholarship with an institutional award of up to $10,000 per student, to ensure the student can succeed.”
Robertson added, “For parents that are worried about their child being away from home, the NEIT institutional award will cover on-campus accommodation and support staff on campus who will ensure the health and wellbeing of the students. It really is a chance to get a world-class education for completely free. We implore students to grab this opportunity with both hands.”
The New England Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit technical college in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, which offer offers a wide range of programmes at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. The programmes include automotive technology, construction management, cybersecurity, digital media production, engineering, health sciences, information technology, nursing, and many more.
Representing NEIT’s president Richard Gouse and board of trustees, Phillip Kydd, trustee of New England Institute of Technology, said in the statement, “We are committed to working with UCCI and the Caymanian community to enhance the career prospects of young Caymanian students and give them the opportunity to be exposed to the latest technology, the latest advancements in their field of study and to get a life experience unlike any other.
“We want to overcome each and every barrier to education that these students face and have implemented a package that we believe is one that cannot be missed. We are recruiting students now for a Fall 2023 start and will be expanding this even further for Fall 2024. We look forward to welcoming the Caymanian community to NEIT.”
Beginning in the Fall of 2023, UCCI students will be eligible to apply to any of NEIT’s degree programmes. Through recently signed articulation agreements, qualified UCCI students wishing to transfer to NEIT will have recognised advanced standing in NEIT’s cybersecurity, construction management, and electrical technology programmes.
To register interest, students should visit www.ucci.edu.ky/neit and register their interest in a Fall 2023 start. Students will then be contacted to speak to staff at NEIT and attend either a virtual or in-person open day.
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