WASHINGTON, DC – The University of West Indies’ (UWI) Mona School of Business and Management is seeking Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation for its programmes.
This is the focus of a visit by top officials from the University of the West Indies Mona Campus and its School of Business, who are currently in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1916, AACSB is the premier accreditation body for institutions offering degrees in business and accounting.
“In addition, we want to build linkages and collaborate with faculty in business schools which share similar interests,” explained UWI Mona Campus Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Gordon Shirley, who is in the US capital leading a four-man UWI delegation visiting with Howard University and The American University business school officials as well. The aim is for the UWI Mona School of Business and Management to develop a more robust relationship with its counterparts at these two Washington-based universities.
Prof. Shirley was speaking at a reception at the City Club in Washington Square, hosted in honour of the UWI delegation by owner and managing partner of Bert Smith and Company, Mr. George Willie. on Monday December 3.2012
The UWI delegation includes Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Edward Duggan; Executive Director of the Mona School of Business and Management, Professor Paul Simmons; and Deputy Director of the Mona School of Business and Management, Dr. Denzil Williams. While in Washington, the team will hold talks with Dean of the Howard University School of Business, Dr. Barron Harvey and Dean of the American University Kogod School of Business, Dr. Michael Ginzberg, along with faculty members.
Owner and managing partner at Bert Smith and Company, George Willie, makes welcome remarks at a dinner he hosted in honour of the University of the West Indies (UWI) delegation. At left is Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie and the Dean of the American University Kogod School of Business, Dr. Michael Ginzberg, at the City Club Restaurant in Columbia Square, Washington DC on Monday, December 3, 2012.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
Prof. Shirley expressed confidence the talks involving all three institutions will be fruitful. He also pointed out the Mona School of Business has been collaborating with both Howard U and AU, whose deans had visited the Mona School of Business campus earlier this year. “Our trip to Washington is a return visit to strengthen the relationship as well as to explore new ideas for our continued collaboration.”
Prof. Shirley praised Mr. Willie, himself a UWI alum and member of the advisory boards of both Howard and The American Universities’ Schools of Business, for organizing the visit and facilitating the meetings and for his passion and support of the UWI. The UWI Mona Principal announced that beginning next year, Mr. Willie will sponsor three lectures being given at the UWI Department of Business and that it is only fitting that these lectures be named in his honour.
Mr. Willie’s longstanding interest in educating accountants, particularly in Jamaica and to establish “a very, very strong accounting program in Jamaica that will be linked to other international bodies,” Prof. Shirley noted. “We have started to talk about how he can leverage his connections here to helps us to establish that kind of accounting program.”
In his remarks, Ambassador Vasciannie lauded Mr. Willie for his steadfast commitment to education at the UWI as well as for the constant support he has given to various Jamaican and Caribbean projects throughout the Washington region.
The Ambassador described this three-university collaboration as a step in the right direction. He said the shared knowledge and experiences will enhance the learning experience on the three campuses.
In their remarks, the Howard and the AU deans, Drs. Barron Harvey and Michael Ginzberg, respectively, said they were delighted by the collaboration to take place among the business schools and that both students and faculty from all the universities will benefit from the various programs and exchanges which will take place.
For his part, Mr. Willie extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation, stressing his longstanding desire to find ways to assist the business department of the UWI. He said he was happy to be finally given the opportunity to do so.
Dean of the Faculty of Social Science of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Edward Duggan, greets owner and managing partner of Bert Smith, George Willie, prior to the dinner to honour the UWI delegation.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
The Bert Smith managing partner expressed his pleasure at being able to host the UWI delegation and to help facilitate the meetings with UWI faculty and the deans and faculty of both Howard University and The American University, with a view to strengthening the collaborative process to benefit the students from the three institutions. He said, “I am committed to doing whatever I can to support education in Jamaica, especially at the University of the West Indies.”
Howard University Associate Dean of the School of Business, Dr. Sam Paschalle, engages in a conversation with Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Prof. Gordon Shirley (right) and Chair of the Department of Accounting at Howard University, Dr. Jean Wells, at a dinner hosted by Mr. George Willie in honour of the UWI delegation at the City Club Restaurant in Columbia Square, Washington DC on Monday, December 3, 2012.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
Among others attending the reception were Howard University Associate Dean, Samuel Paschall; Chairman of the Department of Information Systems, Dr. Rajni Gole; Chairman of the Department of Marketing, Dr. Pravat Chourdhury; Chairman of the Finance Department, Dr. Lee Uoungo; Chairman of the Accounting Department at Howard University, Dr. Jean Welles, a Jamaican.
Attending from Bert Smith and Company were Partner Norman Graves, Manager Keisha Bridgewater, and Ms. Marion Mickens.
The four-day visit by the Jamaican delegation, ended on Thursday, December 6th.
Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor and former Jamaican Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Gordon Shirley, engages in discussions with current Jamaican Ambassador to the United States and former Principal of the Norman Manley Law School, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie, prior to a dinner hosted at the City Club Restaurant.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
Prof. Gordon Shirley along with (l-r) Dean of the Howard University School of Business, Dr. Barron Harvey and Partner at Price Waterhouse, Donald Christian, pose for the camera at the City Club Restaurant.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Stephen Vasciannie (4th right), has the rapt attention of (l-r) Dean of the Faculty of Social Science at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Edward Duggan; Deputy Director of Mona School of Business and Management, Dr. Denzel Williams; Owner and Managing Partner of Bert Smith and Company, George Willie; Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the UWI, Prof. Gordon Shirley; Dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University, Dr. Michael Ginzberg; and Executive Director of the UWI School of Business and Management, Professor Paul Simmons, at a dinner hosted by Mr. George Willie at the City Club Restaurant in Columbia Square, Washington DC on Monday, December 3, 2012, in honour of the UWI delegation.
(Photo credit to Derrick Scott)
