The University of The Bahamas (UB) being granted an accreditation by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools will greatly affect the country’s economy via international student numbers.
Director of Strategic Planning Strenghtening and Accreditation at UB, Dr. Danny Davis says notwithstanding the stellar education provided by the institution over the last 40 years, accreditation will only add to the institution’s accomplishments.
The official recognition will not only provide broad opportunities for current and incoming students but Dr. Davis says financial relief for the government is also likely.
“As we expand that base what’s going to be critical is, those students out of North America in particular which is where our international students are going to be coming from, those students will require that they spend their dollars especially their federal and state money at an accredited institution,” he said.
“If we are going to get into that game, we need to be an accredited institution, this must come together. In essence you can see this as part of being good for the public because we are weaning ourselves of the government’s subvention.”
It is all of these things he said that tie into accreditation.
The comment came during the first Media Information Meeting since the college made its transition to university status.
Dr. Davis says UB is working its way into phase two of the four phase process with a positive outlook on completion.
As it stand international students pay 100 percent more per credit for lower level courses and 33 percent more for upper level courses.
As of the time it would take for the accreditation to be finalized, Dr. Davis could not say.