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Demand for Education on
Sustainable Development
in the Caribbean, the Guyana and Belize
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Table of contents
1. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................52. Description of the SDPROMO project ...................................................................................6
2.1. SD Promos activities .....................................................................................................63. Description of Activities in the CARICOM region .................................................................. 8
3.1. Meeting in Barcelona and Gothenburg .......................................................................... 83.2. The Conference/and training workshop in Suriname ..................................................... 83.3. Survey among Students and Academics ....................................................................... 93.4. Participation in the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) 8thInternational Conference, St Lucia ...........................................................................................93.5. A student contest .........................................................................................................10
4. An Analysis of the Sustainable Development Needs of CARICOM countries .................... 114.1. Population ....................................................................................................................114.1.1. Population Trends ................................................................................................114.1.1. Education and Literacy .........................................................................................134.1.2. Human Development ............................................................................................14
4.2. Political and Institutional Dimensions .......................................................................... 154.2.1. CARICOM ...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.4.2.2. International Relations ..........................................................................................17
4.3. Environmental Problems ..............................................................................................184.3.1. Habitat protection .................................................................................................184.3.2. Natural Disasters .................................................................................................. 204.3.3. Pollution ................................................................................................................20
4.4. Cultural Dimensions .....................................................................................................224.5. Economic Dimensions ................................................................................................. 23
4.5.1. Gross Domestic Product ....................................................................................... 234.5.2. Haiti ......................................................................................................................244.5.3. Suriname ..............................................................................................................254.5.4. Jamaica ................................................................................................................264.5.5. Trinidad and Tobago ............................................................................................27
5. Higher Education Systems and the Role of SD in the Regions Education ........................ 285.1 The University of the West Indies .................................................................................285.2 The University of Guyana .............................................................................................295.3 The Anton de Kom University of Suriname ...................................................................305.4 The State University of Haiti .........................................................................................32
5.5 The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) ..............................................................326. Results Student Survey ......................................................................................................337. The role of the regional Universities in Sustainable Development ...................................... 368. References ..........................................................................................................................37
Appendix I University Survey
Appendix II Student Survey
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Glossary
CARICOM The Caribbean Community
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
GDP Gross Domestic Product
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
MDG Millennium Development Goals
SD Sustainable Development
UN United Nations
UNDP United Nations Development Program
UNEP United Nations Environmental Program
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1. Introduction
This report aims at providing an overview of the main Sustainable Development issues
and the demand for Education for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean, the Guyana and
Belize which have created CARICOM, an economic cooperation organization among these
countries.
It also aims at stronger academic cooperation between Europe and CARICOM in
relation to Higher Education for Sustainable Development. In addition to that, this report also
summarizes the activities that were organized by the SDPromo project, (SD Promo is an
ERASMUS MUNDUS action 4 joint project). SDPromo intends at establishing relations
between European and non-European universities regarding Education for Sustainable
Development.
CARICOM consists of the independent nations that are geographically located in the
Caribbean and the Guyanas i.e. Guyana, Surinam. The Caribbean nations are:
Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti Jamaica,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The
Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago.
Besides those countries, Belize, being geographically part of Central America, also
belongs to this region as it is the only English speaking nation of Central America.
Geographically, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic also part of the Caribbean, but are not
included in this report. The main reason is that we include in this report the members of
CARICOM. Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, sand Turks and
Caicos Islands are associated members of CARICOM and are not included in this report.
Also the territories that are semi-independent or part of nations on other continents (Puerto
Rico, Netherlands Antilles, French Guyana and St. Martin) are not included in this report.The most important geographical feature that unites the countries in the Caribbean region is the
Caribbean plate that comprises more than 7000 islands, islets, reefs and cays. These islands
are referred to as the West Indies. Physiographical, the Caribbean region is mainly a chain of
islands surrounding the Caribbean Sea. To the north is the Caribbean Sea bordered by the Gulf
of Mexico, the Straits of Florida, and the Northern Atlantic Ocean which lies to the east and
northeast; the coastline of the continent of South America lies to the south.
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2. Description of the SDPROMO project
SDPromo is a project funded by the EU Erasmus Mundus Action 4 joint program. It aims at
promoting Education for Sustainable Development among Institutions of Higher Education.
The overall objectives of SDPromo are:
x To promote European Education in Sustainable Development (with a focus on
postgraduate courses: Masters and PhD programs in SD);
x To facilitate the introduction of the Sustainable Development concept in the training of
decision-makers, researchers and teachers and foster environmentally aware attitudes, skills
and behavior patterns, as well as a sense of ethical responsibility within the European Union
and beyond its borders;
x To encourage and enable highly qualified graduates and scholars from all over the
world to obtain qualifications in Sustainable Development in the European Union;
x To facilitate academic mobility (students, teachers, researchers) between the European
Union and Third World institutions that carry out education and research in Sustainable
Development;
x To enhance mutual cultural exchange and encourage a positive interaction between
European and Asian cultures.
2.1. SD Promos activities
x A survey of best practices of EU Universities in introducing the concept of Sustainable
Development in Institutions of Higher Education;
x An analysis of information on available Masters and PhD courses in Sustainable
Development as well as training courses in SD for local authorities, industries and other publicand private organizations in Europe;
x Publication of best practices and available Masters, PhD and other training programs to
attract students from non EU countries to study in Europe and to facilitate academic exchange
and cooperation in SD;
x Organizing or supporting regional conferences on higher Education and SD.
The project partners are:
x Addis Ababa University, AAU, Ethiopia
x Anton de Kom University, UVS, Surinam
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x Kiev Polytechnic Institute, KPI, Ukraine
x Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Sweden (Coordinator)
x Sekem Development Foundation, SEKEM, Egypt
x Delft University of Technology, TU Delft, Netherlands
x Polytechnic University of Catalonia, UPC, Spain
x University Sains Malaysia, USM, Malaysia
x University of Sharjah, UOS, United Arab Emirates
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3. Description of Activities in the CARICOM region
Five main CARICOM-related activities were organized by the SDPromo project team:
x Kick off project meetings in Barcelona, meetings in Spain and Gothenburg, Sweden
x SDPROMO regional conference at Anton de Kom University, Paramaribo, (Surinam)
August 11-12, 2011
x Workshop for students and academics at the Anton de Kom University, August 9-10
2011, Anton de Kom University, Paramaribo, (Surinam);
x Participation in the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) 8th
International Conference, St Lucia entitled Towards Epistemic Sovereignty: (Re)-thinking
Development in a Changing Global Political Economy, November 22nd-24th, 2010,
(http://www.worldsustainable.org/index.php/books/outlook09/vol-7-1010);
x A survey among students and academics from the CARICOM region;
x A student contest.
3.1. Meeting in Barcelona and Gothenburg
The kick-off meeting of SDPROMO II took place in the second week of June 2009, with
representatives from all partner institutions. During the meeting, the agenda, student and
university surveys as well as potential activities in the region were selected and defined.
The next meeting of the partner representatives of the SDpromo II program took place
in Gothenburg, Sweden from 19 to 22 September, The SDpromo representatives participated in
the international conference Engineering Education in Sustainable Development organized by
the Chalmers University of Technology and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Theconference provided insight in the role of engineering and the required transformation to
contribute to sustainable development in the future. During the conference, time was allocated
for the SD promo partners to meet and report on the progress and challenges of the SDpromo
project in their respective regions.
3.2. The Conference/and training workshop in Suriname
The regional conference was organized August 11, 2010 at the ADEKUS in Paramaribo. Thekey note speakers were:
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x Olga Kordas / Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Sweden (Coordinator);
x Ana Paula Motrel/ Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, UPC, Spain;
x Gertjan de Werk/ Technische Universiteit Delft, TU Delft, Netherlands;
x Eugene Nikiforovich / National Technical University of Ukraine "Kiev Polytechnic
Institute, KPI;
The conference was opened by the vice chairman of the board, Dr. Allan Li fo Sjoe. On
behalf of the ADEKUS Dr. R. Nurmohamed presented how sustainable development is
incorporated in the MSc program on Natural Resource Management. The conference raised a
new awareness on the importance of engineering as a tool to for Sustainable Development and
the fact that the new future would probably be a result of new and environmentally friendly
technologies.
Approximately 15 students enthusiastically participated in the training provided by the
representatives of the European partners on the 10th and 13th of August, 2010. Students were
introduced in concepts of sustainability decision making, using a coastal zone management
decision making simulation program as casus; and principles of back casting. The facilities of
the Faculty of Technology of the ADEKUS were used for the training. The students were
awarded a certificate of participation after completing the training.
3.3. Survey among Students and Academics
In addition to the activities mentioned, two surveys assessing Sustainable Development
conditions among CARICOM universities were conducted. The surveys were different for
students and for academics. The survey could be completed either electronically via the
SDPromo website or in hardcopy (during the event). The results of the surveys are presented in
chapters 7 and 8 of this report.
3.4. Participation in the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) 8th
International Conference, St Lucia
The Conference was entitled Towards Epistemic Sovereignty: (Re)-thinking Development in a
Changing Global Political Economy, November 22 -24th , 2010, and took place in St Lucia from
November 22- 24th.
There were representatives from the Caribbean, the United States ofAmerica, Sweden, Oman, Dubai and the UK .Much information was obtained by the
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presentations which added to the knowledge of the issues regarding sustainable development
which are of concern in the Caribbean. Summarized those issues are: the Caribbean Diaspora,
impacts of cruise tourism, health, education and ageing. Little attention was paid to
engineering. During the opening ceremony the key note speaker, the vice chancellor of the
campus Mr Sankatsingh called for more attention to sustainable technology. During
conversations with the more technological inclined participants it was shared that sustainable
technology should be explored more in the Caribbean universities besides the soft sciences.
3.5. A students contest
Through email, students were encouraged to participate in the SD promo contest. The
contest was set up by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, UPC, Spain, for each of the
participating non-European regions. The challenge was for students to use their imagination for
a vision of how a sustainable future would be in the year 2030 as a student.
The winner selected by the SDpromo steering committee was Gianni Clifton Albert
Wip, a student from the engineering department at the Anton de Kom Universiteit who delivered
an essay. The student received a one-week scholarship to attend an international seminar on
Sustainable Technologies for Development (STD) at the Technical University of Barcelona
(UPC) in Barcelona, Spain.
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4. An Analysis of the Sustainable Development Needs of CARICOM countries
4.1. Population
4.1.1. Population Trends
The population of the Caribbean is estimated to have been around 750,000 immediately
before European contact. After contact, genocide and disease led to a decline in the Native
American population. The Native Americans mixed with the intruders. However, their cultures
survived in main land South America. The descendants of the Native Americans can be traced
back in Trinidad, Grenada, St. Lucia, US Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbuda, Guadeloupe,
Aruba, Barbados as well as in St. Vincent. Because of Dominica's rugged area, the native
Caribbeans were able to hide from European forces. The island's east coast includes a 15 km2
territory known as the Caribbean Territory that was granted to the people by the British Crown
in 1903. There are only 3000 Caribbeans remaining.
From 1500 to 1800 the population rose as slaves arrived from West Africa such as the
Congo, Igbo, Akan, Fon and Yoruba as well as military prisoners and captured slaves from
Ireland. Immigrants from Britain, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark
also arrived, although the mortality rate was high.
The population is estimated to have reached 2.2 million by 1800. Immigrants from India,
China, and other countries arrived in the 19th century. After the ending of the Atlantic slave
trade, the population increased naturally. The total regional population (CARICOM, Cuba,
Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico) was estimated at 37.5 million by 2000. The majority of
the Caribbean (of the Lesser Antilles and Jamaica) has populations of mainly Africans in the
French Caribbean, Anglophone Caribbean and Dutch Caribbean, there are minorities of mixed-
race and European peoples of Dutch, English, French, Italian and Portuguese ancestry. Asians,
especially those of Chinese and Indian descent, form a significant minority in the region and
also contribute to multiracial communities. All of their ancestors arrived in the 19th century as
indentured laborers.
Trinidad and Tobago has a multi-racial cosmopolitan society due to the arrival of the
Africans, Indians, Chinese, Syrians, Lebanese, Native Amerindians and Europeans. This multi-
racial mix has created sub-ethnicities that often straddle the boundaries of major ethnicities and
include Chindian and Dougla.
In Surname, Arawak and Caribbean tribes lived in the region before Columbus sighted
the coast in 1498. After a violent history between whites and native tribes, and frequentuprisings by the imported slave population, which was often treated with extraordinary cruelty,
many of the slaves fled to the interior, where they maintained a West African culture and
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established the six major Bush Negro (or Maroon) tribes in existence today: the Djuka,
Saramaccaner, Matuwari, Paramaccaner, Quinti, and Aluku.
Most Surinamers live in the narrow, northern coastal plain. For its size, the population is
one of the most ethnically diverse in the world. Each ethnic group preserves its own culture,
and many institutions, including political parties, tend to follow ethnic lines. Informal
relationships vary: the upper classes of all ethnic backgrounds mix freely; outside of the elite,
social relations tend to remain within ethnic groupings. All groups may be found in schools and
the workplace.
The following table presents the population estimates in 2009 and 2010 for the
CARICOM states, Suriname and Guyana. The population of these states is small with Haiti
having the largest population. Montserrat has a population of even less than 10.000. The
growth rate has been negative (-1.5%) over the last 20 years when the census data of 1990 are
compared with the estimates for the countries (Suriname and Haiti excluded). The population
density ranges from 3/km2, in Suriname and Guyana to 597/km2 in Barbados.
In 2002 the CARICOM statistic program reported that the population is relatively young (26-
45%) and that the proportion of the population younger than 15 years old is growing.
Country Census data 1990* Population *2009/2010
Antigua and Barbuda 59,355 69,481
The Bahamas 234,292 304,837
Barbados 247,288 275,330
Belize 185,970 314,522
(July 2010 etc.)
Dominica 69,463 69,625
Grenada 85,123 102,632
Guyana 723,673 746,486
Haiti - 10,033,000Jamaica, 2,314,479 2,719,000
Montserrat 10,639 9,341
Saint Lucia 133,308 168,178
St. Kitts and Nevis 40,618 38,756
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 106,480 110,000
Suriname - 486,618
Trinidad and Tobago 1,125,128 1,339,000
Total population 5,385,144 15,822,636
Source: CIA World Fact book, 2009
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Total population of the CARICOM countries is 6.5 million (2001). The most populated countries
are: Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, with still considerable populations in Suriname, Belize,
The Bahamas and Barbados.
4.1.1. Education and Literacy
Education is important in the Caribbean region and the countries spent an average of
6% of the GDP or more on education according to Didacus Jules (2005). According to this
report, the World Bank reported primary level education no longer of concern. On the
secondary level the drop out level and the survival rate are issues of concern. Another issue of
concern is that only 30% of the pupils completing the secondary level receive certification which
would allow them to enter tertiary level education. The basic science courses such as
mathematics show poor performance. Only 30% of the students earned acceptable grades
(Didacus Jules, 2005). Overall the level of achievement is rated low and the youth is not
prepared enough to function in the modern day society with the required social skills and
competences.
Table 4.1: overview of participation in education in CARICOM
Pre-primary Primary Secondary
Total participation 1,043,455 2,206,043 2,213,251
Total participation without
Haiti
289,832 754,759 635,701
Expenditure break up 3.94% 32.94% 31.91%
The literacy rate is improving in some of the CARICOM states, and the overall
impression of the data compiled by the UNESCO, (2010), confirms the positive trend for the
Caribbean. The literacy rate for youth between 15 and 24 is higher, and is projected to meet 91
in 2015. Because of the missing data it can only be suggested that Haiti might have the lowest
literacy rate.
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Table 4.2: Percentage of Adult Literacy in Caribbean (15 years and older)
Adult Literacy Rate (age 15 and above), %
Country or territory 1985-1994 2000-2007 2015
Antigua and Barbuda 99 -
Belize 70 - -
Jamaica, - 86 89
Suriname - 90 92
Trinidad and Tobago 97 99 99
Caribbean 66 75 78
Source: (UNESCO, 2010)
4.1.2. Human Development
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of human development that is
published by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The HDI measures the
average achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development:
x A long and healthy life, as measured by life expectancy at birth.
x Knowledge, as measured by the adult literacy rate (with two-thirds weight) and the
combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrollment ratio (with one-third weight).
x A decent standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita in purchasing power parity
(PPP) terms in US dollars.
2008 rank 2008 score 2004 rank 2004 score improvement
Barbados 37 0.889 31 0.879 +0.010
Cuba 48 0.855 50 0.826 +0.029
Bahamas 49 0.854 52 0.825 +0.029
Trinidad and
Tobago
57 0.833 57 0.809 +0.024
Panama 58 0.832 58 0.809 +0.023
Antigua and
Barbuda
59 0.830 59 0.808 +0.022
Saint Kitts
and Nevis
60 0.830 51 0.825 +0.005
Venezuela 61 0.826 72 0.784 +0.042
Saint Lucia 66 0.821 71 0.790 +0.031
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Dominica 77 0.797 68 0.793 +0.004
Grenada 86 0.774 85 0.762 +0.012
Jamaica 87 0.771 104 0.724 +0.047
Belize 88 0.771 95 0.751 +0.020
Suriname 89 0.770 89 0.759 +0.011
Dominican
Republic
91 0.768 94 0.751 +0.017
Saint Vincent
and the
Grenadines
92 0.766 88 0.759 +0.007
Guyana 110 0.725 103 0.725 0.000
Haiti 148 0.521 154 0.482 +0.039
(Saundry/Cleveland, 2009)
4.2. Political and Institutional Dimensions
The Caribbean is mainly made up of islands. As political bodies mainly coincide with the
islands, the political situation in the Caribbean is that it consists of a large number of relatively
small nations.
These nations differ considerably in their political systems. A considerable part of the
countries is still tied to large nations outside the region (USA, France, UK, and Netherlands).
Although these countries have all considerable degrees of self-government, the structure of
their governing systems is not determined by themselves.
Various independent countries have been struggling with democracy. Military rule has
occurred in Suriname, and Grenada. Neighboring countries like Cuba and Haiti have beenplagued by dictatorships.
The level of corruption also differs considerable between the various nations. Most
CARICOM members do rather well on the Worldwide Corruption Perceptions ranking of
countries, published by Transparency International. However neighboring Venezuela and Haiti
are among the most corrupt countries in the world.
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Figure 4.1 Corruption Perception Index
4.2.1. CARICOM
The Caribbean states are politically diverse, ranging from communist systems such as
Cuba towards more capitalist Westminster-style parliamentary systems as in theCommonwealth Caribbean. In 1972, Commonwealth Caribbean leaders decided to transform
the Caribbean Free Trade Association into a common market and establish the Caribbean
Community, of which the common market would be an integral part. Other factors of
production; accelerated, coordinated and sustained economic development and convergence;
expansion of trade and economic relations with third States; enhanced levels of international
competitiveness; organization for increased production and productivity; achievement of a
greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness. In the 1990s CARICOM developed
into a common market (CARICOM, 2010). CARICOM administers:
x Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
x Council of Legal Education (CLE)
x Caribbean Examination Council (CXC)
x Caribbean Meteorological Institute (CMI)
x Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO)
x Caribbean Food Corporation (CFC)
x Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU)
x Caribbean Environment Health Institute (CEHI)
x Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI)
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x Caribbean Regional Centre for the Education and Training of Animal Health and
Veterinary Public Health Assistants (REPAHA)
x Caribbean Organization of Tax Administrators (COTA))
x Association of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP)
x Caribbean Centre for Adult Education (CARCAE)
x Caribbean Epidemiological Centre (CAREC)
x Caribbean Centre for Developmental Administration (CARICAD)
x Commonwealth Caribbean Medical Research Council (CCMRC)
x Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI)
Haiti was admitted as a full CARICOM member in 1999, and final accession was ratified
by the Haitian Parliament on 13 May 2002. In August 2006, Haiti was finally readmitted as a full
participating member of CARICOM. It was suspended for more than 2 years as it did not fulfill
the conditions of electoral democracy.
Haiti is the newest member of the 15-strong organization and has by far the largest
population - its 8 million people outnumber the combined total of the populations of all the other
14 CARICOM member states but it is also the poorest member (Arthur, 2006).
In 1994, the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) has been created. Proposed by
CARICOM in 1992, the ACS soon won the support of the other countries of the region. It does
not only include the CARICOM members, but also their neighbors Venezuela, Colombia,
Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican
Republic, The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and France. ACS aims at the strengthening
economic cooperation and protecting the environment of the Caribbean Sea.
4.2.2. International Relations
The Caribbean region was for a long time more or less the political backyard of the USA.
Especially after the Castros Cuban revolution in 1959, the USA started paying much attention
to the region, in 1983, US forces invaded Grenada in a reaction to a military coup which ousted
a brief revolutionary government. The successful invasion led to a change of government but
was criticized as being imperialistic.
With the end of the Cold War, U.S. security and economic interests have been focused on
other areas. As a result there has been a significant reduction in U.S. aid and investment to the
Caribbean. Great Britain, France, The Netherlands, and Spain had their historic relations in the
region. Allegations of unfair trading practices in regard to the region between the USA and the
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EU have been harmful for Caribbean States, as it lost trade advantages especially in regard to
bananas. Some farmers have faced increased pressure to turn towards the cultivation of illegal
drugs, which has a higher profit margin.
The European Union has also taken issue with US based taxation extended to US
companies via the Caribbean countries. The EU instituted a broad labeling of many nations as
tax havens by the OECD. The United States has not been in favor of shutting off the practice
yet, mainly due to the higher costs that would be passed on to US companies via taxation.
4.3. Environmental Problems
In 1992, the United Nations identified the major problems faced by Latin America and
the Caribbean to be land use, forest resources, ecosystems and biological patrimony, water
resources, sea and shoreline resources, the environment in human settlements, energy, non-
energy mineral resources, and industry.
Environmental vulnerability is mainly caused by high exposure to natural hazards,
limited land resources and difficulties in waste disposal management.
4.3.1. Habitat protection
The Caribbean islands are classified as one of Conservation International's biodiversity
hotspots because they support exceptionally diverse terrestrial and marine ecosystems,
ranging from mountainous cloud forests to cactus scrublands. The region also contains about
8% (by surface area) of the world's coral reefs along with extensive sea grass meadows, both
of which are frequently found in the shallow marine waters bordering island and continental
coasts off the region. Many of these ecosystems have been devastated by deforestation,
pollution, and human encroachment. Nearly two thirds of Caribbean reefs are in jeopardy,
especially around islands like Jamaica, Barbados and Dominica 1.
The arrival of the first humans is correlated with extinction of giant owls and dwarf
ground sloths. The hotspot contains dozens of highly threatened species, ranging from birds, to
mammals and reptiles. Popular examples include the Puerto Rican Amazon, two species of
solenodon (giant shrews) in Cuba and the Hispaniola island, and the Cuban crocodile. The
hotspot is also remarkable for the diversity of its fauna.
The region's coral reefs, which contain about 70 species of hard corals and between
500-700 species of reef-associated fishes have undergone rapid decline in ecosystem integrity
1(http://www.wri.org/wri/indictrs/reefrisk.htm)
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in recent years, and are considered particularly vulnerable to global warming and ocean
acidification.
The countries Suriname and Guyana are located on the Guyana shield, an area of 2.5
million km2 with mountain ranges and dense forested areas alternated by open sand savannas
and impenetrable palm marches. The area harbors more than 25% of the tropical rainforests on
earth. The varied landscapes are notable for the biological endemism as well as the
uniqueness of the ecosystems. The Guyana Shield has the lowest population density of all
tropical forest areas and the highest percentage of intact tropical rainforest with an estimated
80 to 90% in pristine condition. The Guyana Shield contains 10 to 15% of all the freshwater on
earth and has the largest number of pristine water shed areas in the World.
The biodiversity is very high with an estimated 20.000 plant species and at least 4000
vertebrate animal species of which some are area exclusive. The biological areas under
pressure were determined and agreed upon at the 2002 Consensus meeting in Paramaribo,
Natuurbehoudsprioriteiten voor het Guyana schild. Participants were experts from countries
that occupy the Guyana shield.
Coastal wetlands (highest priority and high pressure): beaches and marches necessary
for migratory species and diverse aquatic organisms. Pristine coastal wetlands, important
nesting areas for local ardeids and scarlet ibises, important non breeding area for water fowl
from South and North America. Sea turtles nest on the beaches. The Coronie Swamp in
Suriname is a large rain fed swamp with important breeding nests for birds and two
endangered species of otters.
The white savanna belt that is expanding in both Guyana and Suriname is a habitat for
endemic birds and plant species. It is an important recharge area for aquifers. It carries the
black water creeks caused by solved organic material. The pressure comes from forestry and
expansion of agriculture in Guyana.
The wilderness area Central Suriname Nature Reserve expands over 59,053 km2 and
is the only location in Suriname. This area has extensive hills, rivers, lowlands, isolated large
savannas forest and xeric refuge. Numerous endemic plant species, probably some endemic
bird species and soil fauna. The fish fauna is rich and the probability of fish species is high.
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4.3.2. Natural Disasters
The Caribbean is vulnerable to hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season is officially from
June 1th until November 30th, with most severe hurricanes generally in August-October2. Within
the Caribbean, the Northern parts are more vulnerable than the Southern parts3.
Hurricanes create huge problems: damages can be easily hundreds of millions euro for a
category 5 hurricane and income drops as tourism and production come to a standstill.
Moreover, ecosystems get a blow from the saline downpours of the hurricanes (although that
might be claimed to be part of the natural equilibrium).
There is observational evidence for an increase of intense tropical cyclone activity in the
North Atlantic since about 1970, correlated with increases of tropical sea surface temperatures.
Moreover, the hurricane seasons tends to become longer4. Therefore, prospects are not
looking very bright for the region.
In October 2010, the island of St Lucia was struck by Hurricane Thomas. The mountain
infrastructure was damaged including bridges. In the more vulnerable locations landslides
brought death and destruction in some areas. Their banana plantation, the only one, was also
destroyed.
The Haiti earthquake of January 2010 made it clear that the region is vulnerable to
earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions also occur. There is a rim of volcanoes from Grenada up to the
upper Antilles island of Saba.
The most recent volcanic disaster took place at the island of Montserrat. Its historic capital
city of Plymouth was destroyed and two-thirds of the island's population was forced to flee
abroad by an eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano; which began on April 26, 1995. The
eruption continues even today on a much reduced scale.
4.3.3. Pollution
Over half of the mangroves in the Caribbean have been damaged by pollution or other
human activities. Mangroves are important marine environments because they are often home
to a variety of different species and provide a unique habitat5.
2
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/G1.html3 http://stormcarib.com/climatology/freq.htm4
http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/links/hurricanes.htm5
http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/World_Outlook/latin_america_and_the_caribbea.html
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Industrial pollution into marine environments is another growing problem. In addition,
sewage, sediments, waste, and contaminants are all dumped into marine areas by urban and
industrial centers.
The growth of the transportation industry, and oil spills that might follow, are also a major
cause of marine and coastal degradation. In the Caribbean, many beaches have become so
covered in tar that they are unusable for tourism.
Often, discharge into major bodies of water comes from large urban areas that are the
center of industrial or economic activity. Examples of such cities include Cartagena, Coatza
Coalcos, Havana, and Kingston. In addition to polluting the oceans and seas, this waste can
destroy coral reefs and beaches.
Another concern is the recent discovery that coral reefs are threatened by rising levels of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which may lower calcification rates of corals, coralline algae
and coral-algal communities by up to 10-20 percent as carbon dioxide levels double in the next
century. (Coral Reefs and Global Change,1998) This will make it harder for them to build their
skeletons and add to the reef. Other estimates suggest that the increase in atmospheric CO2
will reduce carbonate ion concentration in the surface of oceans by 30 percent and cause a
potential reduction in coral growth over the next 65 years of 40 percent (Langdon et al., 2000).
More general information on the status of coral reefs is available from the NOAA Coral Health
and Monitoring Project6. (Bryant et al., 1998)
In the Guyanas, Suriname and Guyana, the deterioration of large water bodies by
sedimentation and mercury pollution is rampant. The gold rush by thousands of artisanal
miners exploiting secondary mining for gold has produced large areas of waste land. In
Surname it is estimated that since the early 90s ca. 300.000- 400.000 kg of mercury has
entered the waterways such as creeks, and rivers as well as in manmade pits filled with water.
More than half of the fish species consumed by humans has a mercury content that exceeds
the standards. Gold mining leads to high levels of sedimentation in rivers and creeks, which is a
poor environment for fish of prey. This way of mining has changed the landscapes, with many
open pits filled with water which are a breeding place for malaria, leads to loss of biodiversity,
arable land and hunting grounds. The economic damage of the interior because of the gold
mining activities is yet to be determined.
6http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/
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4.4. Cultural Dimensions
The Caribbean is a region where various cultural traditions have met and created
distinguished new features. The largest religion in the region is Christianity. Hinduism and Islam
came to the region with contract laborers from Asia. Religious developments among black
communities, of former slaves have been strong. Besides the traditional voodoo, Rastafari
came into existence based on the desire to escape from ethnic domination by whites. Santera
is in fact a traditional African religion that the slaves translated into Roman Catholic terms to
make it acceptable for their masters.
Besides the languages of the colonizers, new languages emerged from the combination of
the various cultures Papiamento is a Creole language derived from either Portuguese or
Spanish with vocabulary influences from African languages, English, Dutch, and Arawak native
languages. It is spoken on Aruba and Curacao.
English Creole mix languages are prominent in all former English colonies. For example,
Kriol, Belizean Creole English, has about 400,000 speakers, in Belize (where it is the lingua
franca and is spoken by 70% of the population). French Creole is for example spoken at Santa
Lucia. 80 % of the Surname population speaks Sranan Tonga, a Dutch/English Creole
language.
Cricket, baseball and athletics are major sports in the Caribbean. Barbados is a hub for
cricket fans and sportsmen. Football became important by the participation of Jamaica and
Trinidad & Tobago in the world championship
A lot of inhabitants of the CARICOM nations live in Diaspora. Grenada has more expatriates
than any other island in the region. Most expatriates are leaving for the former colonizers (UK,
Netherlands, and France) but also the USA and Canada are important destinations. There are
also migrants within the region especially people from poorer countries living in richer countries.
Many Guyanese have chosen the nearby island of Barbados, and many people on the island
have Guyanese relatives or relations. Barbados has the least migration as it's developing a
successful economy.
There are some tensions between people from different islands for example between people
from the larger island of Jamaica and those from the smaller Smallie islands. There is also
rivalry between music styles, like the Soca vs. Reggae rivalry.
Racial/religious segregation also occurs in the region. In the Guyanas, politics has mainly
been based on ethnicity.
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4.5. Economic Dimensions
4.5.1. Gross Domestic Product
The independent Caribbean countries are referred to as small island states. The economy
of small states is open. The markets are small with marginally diversified production, and a
rather one-sided economy. Many Caribbean countries export basic products such as sugar, oil,
bauxite and tourism. The small surface area of the small island states limits the natural
resources.
The open economy increases the dependent relationship with larger states and international
markets. Caribbean States are more vulnerable for economic disruptions than many other
developing countries.
Their higher level of vulnerability can be traced back to the interaction of the following socio-
economic and natural characteristics:
Environmental/ecological vulnerability, particularly high exposure to natural hazards
Limited land resources and difficulties in waste disposal management
Geographic remoteness and isolation, with high costs of transportation
Limited diversification and very open economies
Weak institutional capacity and high costs of basic infrastructure
Special social vulnerabilities
Some of these vulnerabilities are enhanced by the current context of globalization and
erosion of trade preferences.
The strong economic dependence on tourism (from the USA, but also from Europe),
makes the countries vulnerable for disruption in air transport.
The economic performances of the various countries differ a lot. A number of island
states can be regarded as high income countries. These high incomes are especially derived
from tourism, especially from the USA and oil and gas exports. Haiti is the poorest country from
the Western Hemisphere. The economies of most countries are often dependent on just a few
export sectors, which make them rather vulnerable.
Int.
Rank
Country US$ per capita
24 British Virgin Islands $ 38,50049 Bahamas, The $ 28,600
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58 Trinidad and Tobago $ 22,100
59 Aruba $ 21,800
60 Barbados $ 21,700
68 Antigua and Barbuda $ 16,500
69 Puerto Rico $ 16,300
73 St Maarten $ 15,400
75 Curacao $ 14,970
80 Virgin Islands $ 14,500
81 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 14,400
95 Anguilla $ 12,200
97 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 11,500
101 Saint Lucia $ 11,100
106 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 10,600
107 Dominica $ 10,500
108 Grenada $ 10,500
111 Suriname $ 9,900
119 Dominican Republic $ 8,600
120 Belize $ 8,400121 Jamaica $ 8,400
132 Guyana $ 6,800
164 Montserrat $ 3,400
205 Haiti $ 1,200
GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population (data from various years
between 2004 and 2010) (CIA, 2011).
4.5.2. Haiti
In 1804, after the Haitian Revolution, the only successful revolt of slaves, Haiti became the
first independent nation of Latin America. The French army was defeated, and Haiti got its flag
by removing the white from the French flag.
Haiti never got a strong government. The country was divided by ethnicity and class.
Between 1915 and 1934, Haiti was occupied by US forces. The USA forced the population to
work on the infrastructure of the country. When the US forces left, the population was relieved.
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Political instability emerged again until Franois Duvalier, Papa Doc, and his son Jean-Claude
Duvalier Baby Doc took over. These regimes of father and son terrorized the country. It is
estimated that 50.000 Haitians lost their lives by the massacres of the Duvalliers. In 1986, Baby
Doc lost power. Military take over took place until Jean Bertrand Aristide was elected as
president in 1991. Shortly afterwards, the military returned, and Aristide could only regain
power in 1994 by foreign intervention. In 2000, he was reelected.
Aristide had dissolved the army, in order to prevent military takeover attempts. In 2004,
rebels dispelled him. In 2006, Ren Prval was elected as a president under UN supervision. A
UN peace keeping force MINUSTAH is still presented.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries of the world. By the January 2010, 7.1 magnitude
earthquake, the country was devastated, especially the capital Port-au-Prince; 80% of the
population is living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty.
The earthquake caused the country's GDP to contract an estimated 8% in 2010. Two-thirds of
all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector. The rural areas are mainly deforested by the
growing population.
Apparel exports to the USA are a main source of income for Haiti. The apparel sector
accounts for three-quarters of Haitian exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. The other sources
of revenue are oils, cocoa, mangoes and coffee. Remittances are the primary source of foreign
exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP and more than twice the earnings from exports.
Haiti suffers from a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited infrastructure, and a
severe trade deficit.
4.5.3. Suriname
Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands since 1674. Dutch colonizers started plantations in
the country. After international pressure, slavery was abandoned in 1863.
In 1954, Suriname received semi-autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1975,
the nation became fully independent as the Republic Suriname. From 1980 to 1989, the
country was governed by the military under command of army Chief Desi Bouterse. Legal
procedures regarding atrocities in that period are still not finalized. In 2010, Bouterse was
elected president by the national parliament.
The GDP (2008 est.) was $2.81 billion (Source: IMF), while the annual growth rate real GDP
(2007 actual) was 5.5%; the per capita GDP (2007 est.) was $4,830.
The natural resources that are being exploited are bauxite, gold, oil, iron ore, forestry;hydroelectric potential; fish and shrimp.
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Agriculture: Products--rice, bananas, timber, citrus fruits, fish and shrimp.
Industry: Types--alumina, oil, gold, fish and shrimp processing, lumber.
Trade (Source: IMF): Exports (2007)--$1.542 billion: alumina, gold, crude oil, wood and wood
products, rice, bananas, fish, and shrimp.
Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V., State Oil Company of Suriname, was founded on
13 December 1980. Staatsolies petroleum operations began onshore in the District of
Saramacca, 45 kilometers west of the capital, Paramaribo. The companys crude production in
2009 totaled 5.9 million barrels, with an average daily production of 16,000 barrels of oil.
Staatsolies exploration strategy is driven by its goal of finding 64 million barrels of proven
reserves not later than the end of 2012 in order to sustain onshore crude production at a
minimum of 16,000 barrels of oil per day. For the current strategic planning period 2008-2012
the focus for onshore exploration is to carry out exploration activities in the coastal area. The
Saramacca Crude is refined by Staatsolies refinery at Tout Lui Faut in the District of Wanica.
With a processing capacity of 7,000 barrels per day, the refinery produces different grades of
fuel oil, diesel and bitumen. Most of these products are sold locally, and the surplus is exported
to countries in the Caribbean.
4.5.4. Jamaica
Jamaica was British since the 17th century. Under British rule, many plantations were
established on Jamaica, especially for sugar cane, the starting material for the famous Jamaica
Rum. Large quantities of slaves were transported to Jamaica. Slaves that fled to the inlands,
the Maroons were continuous threat for the plantations near the coast. In 1838, slavery was
ended. In 1944, Jamaica became autonomous and in 1962, it became an independent nation.
Jamaica is susceptible for earthquakes. Port Royal, the first capital, washed into the sea after
an earthquake in 1692. Since 1872, Kingston is the capital.
The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on tourism, remittances, and
bauxite/alumina. Remittances account for nearly 15% of GDP and exports of bauxite and
alumina make up about 10%.
The Economic growth faces many challenges: high crime and corruption, large-scale
unemployment and underemployment, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of more than 120%. Jamaica's
has the fourth highest debt per capita. This hinders spending on infrastructure and social
programs, particularly as job losses rise in a shrinking economy. Meanwhile the government
faces a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth. High
unemployment exacerbates the crime problem, including gang violence that is fueled by the
drug trade.
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4.5.5. Trinidad and Tobago
The islands were occupied by Spanish, Dutch and Kurland rulers until the British took over
in the 18th century. In WW II, the USA had a large navy base on Trinidad.
In 1962, Trinidad and Tobago became an independent republic. The country is governed by a
parliamentary democracy.
Nowadays, the country is one of the best performing economies of the region. The main
reason is income from oil and gas (LNG) exports. Tobago has a strong and growing tourism
sector.
Moreover, Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site
for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in
Latin America. Investments in petrochemicals and steel are also important nowadays. Trinidad
also supplies food products and beverages, as well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and
gas account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The
country is also a regional financial center.
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5. Higher Education Systems and the Role of SD in the Regions Education
In the CARICOM region, academic education was for long time an issue of going abroad.
Many students received academic degrees in Europe (in the colonial times) or in the USA. As
decolonization took place, some public universities were created. Nowadays, there are many
private universities. We will deal here with the main universities of the region:
5.1 The University of the West Indies
The University Of The West Indies (UWI), established in 1948 initially as an external
College of the University of London and made fully independent in 1962, is the oldest, fully
regional institution of higher learning in the English Caribbean. UWI is supported by fifteen
countries all current or former colonies of Great Britain.
The University has expanded to four campuses that serve diverse communities across
the Caribbean region - Cave Hill (in Barbados), Mona (in Jamaica), St. Augustine (in Trinidad)
and the Open Campus, the newest campus which was formally launched in Antigua & Barbuda
in June 2008. The Open Campus deals with distance education and post graduate studies.
UWI is by far the largest university of the region. Its total enrollment is almost 40.000.
In 2008, the breakdown of students over the departments was:
x Humanities & Education 6,854
x Engineering 2,252
x Law 665
x Medical Sciences/Clinical Medicine & Research 4,059
x Pure & Applied Sciences/Sciences & Agriculture 6,992
x Social Sciences 14,886
x Institute of Gender and Development Studies 53
x Graduate Studies 3
x Total 35,764
28
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The University of the West Indies has an Institute for Sustainable Development and a
Centre for the Environment at its Jamaica campus. It offers MSc programs in Integrated Urban
and Rural Environmental Management, Sustainable Urbanization, Disaster Management
The ISD is the center for research in SD in the region.
Tuition fees for UWI for students from participating countries varies but can be about
TT$ 15.0007. Students from other countries might pay considerably higher amounts (>50.000
TT$)8.
5.2 The University of Guyana
The University of Guyana (UG) was launched on October 1, 1963. In 1970 it opened its first
building at Turkeyen campus.
In the 1994-1995 academic year the University introduced a Cost Recovery Program.
Resident Guyanese students are now required to pay G$127,000 per annum, except for those
pursuing studies in Law, Medicine, Nursing and Tourism, where the fees are $300,000,
$500,000, $251,000 and $158,0009 respectively. The fees are higher for non-resident
Guyanese and foreign students.
29
7 1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar is 0,11 euro8
UWI undergraduate financial information 2010-2011, St. Augustine Campus.9
1000 G$ is about 3.5 Euros
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The Universitys current enrolment at Turkeyen is approximately 5,000 students in the
Faculties of Agriculture, Arts, Education, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
and Technology. To date, approximately 10,000 students have graduated. In 2000, an
additional campus was opened at Tain10.
5.3 The Anton de Kom University of Suriname
The University of Suriname was founded in 1966. In 1968, its School of Law startedteaching. One year later, the existing Medical School became part of the university. In 1971,
the natural sciences were added. In 1974 a Faculty of Social and economic sciences was
added.
The university played an important role in the revolutionary changes in 1980. In December
1982, Surinames military government assassinated 15 opponents. The university was closed
for almost a year after this tragedy. On October 17th 1983, the university was reopened and
renamed Anton de Kom Universiteit van Suriname (Adekus). It consisted of
x Faculty of Social Sciences (Law, Economics, Sociology)
x Faculty of Technology
x Faculty of Medicine
After reopening, Adekus only offered 4 year bachelor degrees. The plan to start masters
programs never materialized.
In the 80s and 90s the number of degree programs increased to 15. The number of
students is 3715 in 2010, of which 2513 in Social Sciences, 867 in the Natural Sciences and
Technology, and 335 in the Medical Sciences.
30
10
http://www.uog.edu.gy/
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Environmental sciences were introduced at the university in 199611.
Recently, Adekus started new Master programs. In 2010 the MSc program Sustainable
Management of Natural Resources started
12
. Tuition changes each year. Suriname studentscan get a monthly loan for tuition and books of 150 SRD, or a monthly loan of 500 SRD13.
Foreign students are admitted by the national department of education.14
There are many private educational facilities in the region, from kindergarten to
university level15. Tuition is in general at a much higher level than it is for the public educational
facilities and might be at level up to 30.000 euros [per year. Quality of education differs and
cannot always be determined.
31
11
http://adekus.uvs.edu/section/sectSection.php?secID=5304&lb=Onderwijs%20.%20Technologie%20.%20Milieu12
http://adekus.uvs.edu/section/sectSection.php?id=341&secID=4304&lb=Uitgelicht13 http://adekus.uvs.edu/ftew/studentenbeurzen.html14
1 SRD is 0.22 euro.15
See for example: http://www.internationaleducationmedia.com/caribbean/universities.htm
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5.4 The State University of Haiti
The State University of Haiti, at the capital Port au Prince, is the largest institution of higher
education and research in the country.
Across the country, it encompasses more than 20,000 students, 1,500 teachers and 800
administrative staff and managers.
UEH has several schools in rural Haiti, which enrolled more than half the student population
in 2007. The language of UEH is French.16
5.5 The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT)
In 2004, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago established The University
of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) with a mandate to educate and train nationals. UTT has been
growing fast in technical and other programs. In 2009, UTT's student population increased from
6,523 in the previous year, to that of 7,484. The University's student population is growing fast
and with the intake of students in 2010, the student population figure is in excess of 10,000
students. UTT offers programs at Bachelors, Masters and PhD levels.
32
16
http://www.ueh.edu.ht/index.php#
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For Trinidad and Tobago nationals, the tuition of UTTs program (up to Bsc level) is covered by
government. The cost of Masters and doctorates is covered up to 50% of the specific program
cost.17
6. Results Student Survey
The Student Survey was made available on the SDPromo website and also promoted via
network contacts.18
Participation
There were a total of 37 students from 5 countries that participated in the questionnaire. By far
the most participants were from the partner university in Suriname
Suriname Anton de Kom Universiteit 26
Polytechnic College 1
Dominican Republic Universidad Atonoma de
Santo Domingo
2
Barbados Samuel Jackson Prescod
Polytechnic
2
Guyana University of Guyana 3
Trinidad and Tobago UWI St. Augustine 2
UWI Port of Spain 1
19 of the participants were male and 18 female. Their studies areas were:
Medicine 7
Agriculture 7
Natural Resource Management 6
Environment & Environmental technology 5
Human Development 3
Civil Engineering 3
Architecture 2
Veterinarian 2
Physics 1
International Studies 1
Geology and Mining 1
17http://u.tt/
18The teachers survey is not discussed separately as it is used as background information for the
university overview
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The vast majority of the participants aimed at continuing their studies after finishing their
current program: 27 aimed at continuing, 9 did not know and only 1 student had decided not to
continue education.
The European Union was most popular to continue studies:
x 21 EU
x 5 USA
x 7 another country in the region
x 4 at my own city
So the EU is rather popular in the Caribbean. This might be due to lower tuition fees than in
the USA. Except for 2 respondents, everybody mentions costs, scholarships and/or tuition fees
as an important factor in deciding where to proceed studies. When asked about what was
important for their choice for further studies, the students answered:
AvailabilityofScholarships 29
OpportunitytogainInternationalexperience 26
Contents 26
Overallcosts 26
AvailabilityofRoomandBoard 17
ReputationoftheInstitution 17
LengthofProgram 16
SubjectofProgram 16
Tuitionfees 16
Professors'advice/suggestions 15
Credits 14
Formerstudentsperspective/suggestions 9
Pedagogicalmethodsandresourcesofferedthroughtheprogram 8
Offeredonline 6Proximity 4
Nameandreputationofprofessors, 1
Unsurprisingly, financial issues (scholarships, overall costs, tuition) were very relevant.
It is also not surprising that subject and content of programs and the opportunity to gain
international experience are important.
But how could universities position themselves better for the CARICOM higher
education market? It appears that the availability of room and board is an important selling
point. The reputation of institutions appears to be important, but also especially the social
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network of a university in the region (former students, professors advice). Length of programs
is important as it should fit the students needs.
The reputation of individual professors is unimportant, and options to study online are
not a strong selling point (as it will not really lead to international experience). The proximity
argument came from students that wanted to stay in the region.
What barriers did students meet in pursuing a study abroad?
They answered:
No grants or scholarships available 16
Language barriers 13
Room and board expenses 13Visa permissions (to move to another country) 13
Lack of resources 11
Absence of an adequate Program 10
Family obligations 9
Lack of Information on available subjects 6
Mobility/ proximity 6
Subject of study not decided 6
Lack of information on available Institutions 5
Dates of schedule of classes 3
Registration requirements 3
Time to study 3
Not compatible with work schedule 1
Financial issues were again dominant but language barriers and visa permission issues
were also important. Lack of information was less important.
Perceptions of Sustainable Development
The last few questions of the student survey were in relation to students perceptions in
regards to sustainable development. Interesting conclusions were drawn from the answers
received.
No 3
Dont know 6
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What are the main barriers to proceed towards Sustainable Development?
Economical 28
Political 27Education 18
Technological 14
Cultural 10
Institutional 9
Environmental 6
Social 6
Demographic 2
Ecological 2
Religious 2
Other 3
So in general economic and political barriers were regarded to be most important. The
question how students saw Sustainable Development led to a wide variety of variations of the
Brundtland definition of Sustainable Development. Interesting was that fighting corruption and
bureaucracy were added a few times.
Regarding the question whether students wanted to be contributors to Sustainable
Development, only 4 did not know, the other 33 answered yes.
7. The role of the regional Universities in Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development is not a new issue for the main universities of the CARICOM region.
At the meeting that was organized by SDPROMO, by the results of our desk study, as well as
by our participation in the meeting of the World Association for Sustainable Development
(WASD) 8th International Conference in St Lucia, it turned out that the main universities of the
region are aware of the challenge of Sustainable Development, and are active in offering
education for that aim. However, a main issue in the region, as was reflected by the title of theSt. Lucia meeting Towards Epistemic Sovereignty: (Re)-thinking Development in a Changing
Global Political Economy, is the regions strong dependence on foreign powers: The
economies are vulnerable and sometimes weak, large parts of the population is living abroad,
and the region is vulnerable to natural disasters. The universities of the region are growing, and
the region recognizes their importance for sustainable development. Their strength is crucial for
developing a pathway towards Sustainable Development that is rooted in the region.
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Appendix I
Academics Questionnaire
Assessing Demand on Education for Sustainable Development
This questionnaire is part of a research project being carried out by SD Promo members in
order to identify initiatives from universities that work toward Sustainable Development in
regions outside of Europe. Our focus is on higher education for Sustainable Development.
SD Promo is an international collaboration project that aims to promote Education in
Sustainable Development and enhance collaborations between academic institutions,
professors and students. Your participation and input will help us achieve these goals.
SD Promo has decided to contact academics from universities outside of Europe to answer this
questionnaire; we would like to obtain information from teachers, researchers, directors of
centers and administrative personnel working in universities. Therefore, please do not give an
institutional response when answering this questionnaire. Your contribution will help us
increase our understanding of ESD.
Answering the questions should take less than 5 minutes.
----------------------------
-- About your University
----------------------------
1. University Name:
2. Number of students:
3. Country:
4. Contact name:
5. Address:
6. Phone number:
7. E-mail address:8. Website:
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9. What are the disciplines that your University offers?
Architecture
Design
Economics
Education
Engineering
Health
History
Law
Management
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Other...
Please specify:
10. Does your University foster postgraduate programs?
Yes
No
---------------------------------------------------------------
-- About your University and Sustainable Development
---------------------------------------------------------------
11. Are there any policies/plans on Sustainable Development that are being implemented or in
the process of implementation at your institution?
Yes
No
Unsure
12. Education for Sustainable Development is offered through:
Compulsory courses
Embedded in curricula
Inter/disciplinary, integrative courses Not offered
Part of elective courses
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Specific programs
Unsure
Other...
Please specify:
13. Are there any plans to start education for Sustainable Development?
Yes
No
Undecided
14. Is there a Centre/Institute for Sustainable Development at your Institution?
Yes
No
Unsure
15. Is there academic debate on moving towards Sustainable Development in your University?
Yes
No
----------------------------------------------------------
-- About Sustainable Development in your country
----------------------------------------------------------
16. If you know of any other University in your country with a focus on Sustainable
Development please list them:
17. If you know of Universities outside your country that offers Sustainable Development
studies, please list them by name and country:
18. Are there public discussions on Sustainable Development in your country?
Yes
No
19. What are the major obstacles in accomplishing Sustainable Development in your country?
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20. What does Sustainable Development mean to you?
21. Do you want your name published in the Report that will be produced based on the
collected information on ESD?
Yes
No
--------------------------
-- End of questionnaire
--------------------------
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING!!!
We also invite you to learn more about the SD Promo network at www.sdpromo.info
Appendix II
Student Questionnaire
Assessing Demand on Education for Sustainable Development
This questionnaire is part of a research project being carried out by SD Promo members in
order to identify initiatives from universities that work toward Sustainable Development in
regions outside of Europe. Our focus is on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).
SD Promo is an international collaboration project that aims to promote Education in
Sustainable Development and enhance collaborations between academic institutions,
professors and students. Your participation and input will help us achieve these goals. In
addition, we would also like to invite you to participate in the SD Promo students' contest:
Imagine... Vision of a Sustainable Future
(Visit: http://www.sdpromo.info/web/page.aspx?refid=58 )
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By participating in this contest you could stand a chance to win a scholarship to attend the STD
Seminar in Barcelona for one week!
(Visit: http://www.upc.edu/sostenible2015/menu-5/seminaris/Seminari_STD_09)
Answering the questionnaire should take less than 5 minutes. Its easy!
--------------
-- About you
--------------
1. Full Name:
2. Age:
45
3. Gender:
4. Email address:
5. University:
6. City:
7. Country:
8. Country of Citizenship:
9. Spoken Languages:
---------------------------------
-- About your current studies
---------------------------------
10. Which is your main area of study?
Aerospace, Aeronautical Engineering
Agricultural Engineering
Architecture
Bioengineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering Design
Education
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Electrical, Electronics Engineering
Energy Engineering
Geophysics
Human Development
Industrial Engineering
Information Technology
International Studies
Life Sciences
Manufacturing Engineering
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Nanoscience / Nanotechnology
Natural Resource Management
Non-profit Administration
Oceanography
Political Science
Pollution Control
Public Administration
Sciences (other)
Software Engineering
Soil Sciences, Agronomy
Technology in Education
Telecommunications
Urban and Regional Planning
Other...
Please specify:
11. Which of the following methods/resources are available in your classes?
Case studies
Digital resources
Discussions, debates
Exams
Field visits Group project
Internships
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Lab. Classes
Lectures
Multi-disciplinary work
Projects
Research
Role plays
Seminars
Web based learning activities
Workshops
Other...
Please specify:
--------------------------------
-- About your future studies
--------------------------------
12. Do you intend to pursue your postgraduate studies after graduation?
Yes
No
Unsure
13. Where do you think you would be able to find the most suitable academic program to fulfill
your education needs?
At your city
Another city in your country
Another country in your region
Australia
Canada
European Union
USA
Other...
Please specify:
14. What do you consider important when choosing a postgraduate program?
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Availability of Room and Board
Availability of Scholarships
Contents
Credits
Former students perspective/suggestions
Length of Program
Name and reputation of professors
Offered online
Opportunity to gain International experience
Overall costs
Pedagogical methods and resources offered through the program
Professors' advice/suggestions
Proximity
Reputation of the Institution
Subject of Program
Tuition fees
Other...
Please specify:
15. What are the factors you reflect on when considering to pursue your postgraduate studies?
Absence of an adequate Program
Dates of schedule of classes
Family obligations
Lack of information on available Institutions
Lack of Information on available subjects
Lack of resources
Language barriers
Mobility/ proximity
No grants or scholarships available
Not compatible with work schedule
Registration requirements
Room and board expenses
Subject of study not decided Time to study
Visa permissions (to move to another country)
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Other...
Please specify:
--------------------------------------------------
-- You and Sustainable Development
--------------------------------------------------
16. Do you encounter Sustainable Development in your current institution?
A career, a profession
Embedded into your courses
Irrelevant to your University
Mandatory at your University
Not related / Not available
Optional in your program
Taught as an isolated subject in your studies
Other...
Please specify:
17. Are there public discussions on moving toward Sustainable Development in your country?
Yes
No
Unsure
18. What are the major obstacles in implementing Sustainable Development in your country?*
Cultural
Demographic
Ecological
Economical
Education
Environmental
Inequities
Institutional Political
Religious
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Social
Technological
Territorial conflicts
Other...
Please specify:
19. What does Sustainable Development mean to you?
20. As a recently graduated young professional, would you be interested in being a contributor
towards Sustainable Development in your own country?
Yes
No
Unsure
21. Would you like to be contacted for further SDPromo related activities?
Yes
No
--------------------------
-- End of questionnaire
--------------------------
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PARTICIPATION!!!
To learn more about the SD Promo network please visit www.sdpromo.info