The Internationalization of Higher Education in the West Indies

Neo-colonialism in Distance Learning in Barbados and Canada

“…Beginning in 1876, the 'best' students from Barbados were granted scholarships to attend Cambridge and Oxford in England, contributing to a lack of higher education development in the Caribbean, and making local attempts to educate the population look paltry in comparison (Cobley, 2000;Coggins, 2018). Growing nationalist uprisings in the colonies inspired England to designate the University of London as a degree provider in the Caribbean through local colleges; educating colonial subjects through an English-affiliated institution met the needs of the British Empire, keeping subjects "intellectually and ideologically tied to England" (Cobley, 2000, p. 10).…”

“…Barbadian students sent abroad were initially mostly male and White, however by the Interwar Period; Black and Brown students from the Caribbean were also studying abroad (Coggins, 2018). These students eventually began to complain to the British Colonial Office about racism they experienced in the UK.…”

“…These students eventually began to complain to the British Colonial Office about racism they experienced in the UK. At the same time, African students studying abroad were being radicalized against colonialism (Coggins, 2018). These factors contributed to British colonial authorities' decision to give their Caribbean colonies a university (Cobley, 2000).…”

“…The University College of the West Indies (UCWI) opened its Jamaica campus in 1948 with an inherently conflicted identity. The university was both a British stronghold over its increasingly nationalizing colonies, as well as a way to unite and stabilize the Caribbean and foster political and economic independence (Coggins, 2018;Cobley, 2000). The UCWI adhered to British standards, with degrees continuing to be granted via the University of London.…”