Building sustainability at the University College of the Cayman Islands

The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) is the national public tertiary education provider in the Cayman Islands, serving more than 2,000 students. We are the first Advance HE member in the Caribbean. 

We were recently recognised by the European Union’s Resilience, Sustainability, Energy and Marine Biodiversity (RESEMBID) initiative as a leader in the Caribbean for sustainability efforts. RESEMBID awarded two grants to UCCI in 2021 and 2022. 

These grants totaled $1.4 million USD and provided:  

• The development of a labour market assessment - in partnership with the Government and the Chamber, a detailed labour market assessment was conducted to identify the current skills gap in the country and to understand the future needs of employers. 
• Training Caymanians in ‘green jobs’ - 53 Caymanians were provided with workforce ready training in hospitality, trades including solar installation and IT. 
• Undertaking a campus energy audit and propose reduction measure - a formal energy audit of the campus was conducted to establish a baseline of data that can be used to identify and monitor energy reduction initiatives. 
• Installation of solar panels in multiple buildings - solar panels were added to the existing gymnasium facility that is a designated disaster shelter.  
• Development of a sustainability plan - a formal sustainability plan was developed to frame the solar efforts of the institution using a stakeholder advisory team of internal and external stakeholders. 
• Creation of a campus master plan - being developed to identify key infrastructure projects and identify ways to ensure that the campus is developed in a sustainable manner. 

The project manager responsible for the implementation of the RESEMBID grants, Cleveland Julien, said, “These grants were critical in building a public profile of the importance of the environment to the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean. In our case we were fortunate to have a committed steering committee to assist in guiding our efforts.” 

Centre for Biodiversity, Sustainability and Innovation at UCCI 

The next steps in the project include a Sustainability Symposium later in 2024 which will include a special edition of the Journal of the University College of the Cayman Islands. The symposium will also serve as the launch of the Centre for Biodiversity, Sustainability and Innovation at UCCI. This Centre will aim to serve as a hub for promoting sustainable practices, fostering innovation and catalysing positive change in the local community and beyond. This Centre will be a collaborative space where students, faculty and local businesses can come together to address pressing environmental and social challenges while driving economic growth.   

An early priority for the Centre will be the creation of a ‘digital library’ to serve the following objectives:  

• Real-Time Monitoring and Dashboards: Implement comprehensive and user-friendly monitoring devices for real-time environmental and energy data management. 
• Stakeholder Engagement: Create online platforms for sharing insights, best practices and stakeholder collaborative engagement. 
• Educational Resources: Provide training materials, webinars and courses to enhance sustainability knowledge and engagement. 
• Policy Advocacy and Collaboration: Develop a hub for policy advocacy and facilitate regional and international partnerships for sustainability initiatives. 

Principles of Responsible Management Education  

UCCI is a signatory with PRME (Principles of Responsible Management Education), a global network of academic institutions committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).  

The mission of PRME is to “transform management education and develop the responsible decision-makers of tomorrow to advance sustainable development.” 

The challenge of transitioning to sustainable energy sources is crucial for the University, the Cayman Islands, and the Caribbean region. These grants have provided UCCI with seed funding to lead by example by developing data and research that will inform sustainability, resilience and climate change decisions.  

The plan is to use these initiatives, funded by RESEMBID, to focus on making changes in the curriculum to reflect the UN’s SDGs and environmental awareness. 

Dr Robert W. Robertson is President and CEO of University College of the Cayman Islands.