Within recent years, Trinidad has seen an increase in post-secondary and tertiary education institutions with several satellite sites extending to Tobago. While such an increase in educational opportunities is good for the country as a whole, the establishment of a university campus in Tobago augurs well for the development of education on the island. With government’s commitment to invest heavily in human capital, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) is poised to make a significant contribution in this area through education and training. As a national university, UTT does not only subscribe to the academic concept of education for its own sake, but more importantly, it concentrates largely on the preparation of manpower to assist in national development.

One of the criticisms leveled at universities in both developed and developing countries is that they fail to adjust to national requirements. Such institutions continue to either produce graduates who cannot be absorbed by the economy, or those whose training cannot equip them to perform tasks the nation expects of them. Given its clear mission "to discover and develop entrepreneurs, commercialise research and development, and spawn companies for wealth generation and sustainable job creation," UTT is not the traditional academic ivory tower. Instead, it is the university of the future - one that truly embraces an entrepreneurial paradigm, and offers a more modern technologically-based type of higher education.

Tobago has already begun to chart a clear path for human capital development on the island. This involves a careful assessment of its own need for human capital to meet current and emerging industry/sector demands. This is the context in which UTT can play an integral role in the development of higher education on the island. Already there has been established on the island a campus dedicated to teacher education and training in areas ranging from Early Childhood Care and Education, Primary Education and Special Needs Education, to other specialisations in Language and Literature, Mathematics, Agricultural Science, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training. UTT is expected to expand its offerings in other fields to meet emerging needs on the island.

Rather than function merely as an institution devoted to the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, UTT has distinguished itself as the university with a capacity to respond to national needs. But more than that, UTT is committed to the ideal of making a significant contribution to knowledge-based economic development and social change in both Trinidad and Tobago.   

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About the author:
Dr. Stephen Joseph holds a Ph. D. in Curriculum and Instruction and is currently employed at the University of Trinidad and Tobago as an Assistant Professor of Education and Programme Leader at the Valsayn campus.