reportcaribean_tryck

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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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21

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

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