I was delighted to be invited as a keynote speaker at Applied Inspiration's 2025 Annual SEER Symposium in London this past November. The theme – Location and Education: Navigating Regional Disparities in Accessing Higher Education – resonated deeply with my work across the Caribbean region, and I welcomed the opportunity to share insights with delegates from specialist higher education providers across the UK.
The SEER (Specialist Evidence, Evaluation and Research) service brings together new, smaller and specialist higher education providers in a member network focused on driving fair access and participation through evidence-based change. It's precisely this kind of collaborative, data-driven approach that we need when tackling the complex challenges facing higher education today.
A framework for understanding access
In my presentation, I proposed viewing higher education through a familiar marketing lens: price, product, place and promotion. This framework, whilst perhaps unconventional in educational circles, offers a practical way to examine the multifaceted barriers to accessing quality higher education, particularly in regions like the Caribbean where I've focused much of my recent research.
The price paradox
Let's start with price. Many countries are implementing policies to freeze, reduce or eliminate tuition fees, aiming to increase access and address critical skills gaps. In the Caribbean, this concern is pressing – recent studies consistently show that 65% of employers are worried about the quality and skills of potential employees.
However, the evidence suggests that price alone isn't the answer. Whilst some countries have seen enrolment increases of 10 to 20 percent after reducing or eliminating tuition, graduation rates tell a different story. In some cases, only 25-30% of students actually complete their programmes. This disparity highlights a crucial point: getting students through the door is only the first step. We must address the broader factors that enable student success.
Rethinking the product
This brings me to the question of product the courses and programmes themselves. In the Caribbean, and indeed globally, far too many programmes are introduced and then left to gather dust. They're simply not reviewed or updated to meet the rapidly evolving needs of a twenty-first century workforce driven by technology and constant change.
Fitness for purpose must be our test for all educational offerings. To address the skills gap, many Caribbean institutions are now embedding industry-recognised certifications within academic programmes – credentials from organisations such as the National Center for Construction Education and Research, City and Guilds and CompTIA. This approach helps ensure that what students learn translates directly into employability.
Another critical product issue concerns our faculty. In some Caribbean surveys, only two thirds of students report being satisfied or very satisfied with their course instructors. This is concerning. We need structured, consistent plans to upskill faculty members, particularly as the profession ages and pedagogical approaches evolve.
I've been encouraged to see several Caribbean countries adopting or considering the Professional Standards Framework (PSF) from Advance HE – a globally recognised framework that captures the key aspects of learning and teaching practice. I had the privilege of being the first to successfully adopt this portfolio-based model in the Caribbean region. With more than 200,000 individuals from 34 countries having achieved fellowship status, it's a proven system for developing clear training goals and ensuring faculty have the right skills to meet changing educational needs. Unfortunately, research suggests we haven't paid sufficient attention to ongoing faculty development in the Caribbean, and this must change.
Embracing new places for learning
The third element – place – is equally vital. The rise of online and blended learning isn't a temporary trend; it's a fundamental shift in how education can and should be delivered. Recent research shows surging interest in online education, as students increasingly expect flexible learning options that accommodate work, family and financial realities.
Yet online education has been met with some reluctance in the Caribbean region. I believe we can overcome this hesitation by focusing on quality. Systems like Quality Matters, which provides certified faculty training for online delivery, can substantially improve the online learning experience. Combined with short residency components, online education can enhance both accessibility and effectiveness.
We also need to rethink our traditional fifteen-week fall and spring model. It simply doesn't meet the needs of today's dynamic environment. Shorter, more flexible course structures would better serve our learners.
The power of promotion
Finally, promotion – or as I prefer to think of it, pathways and support. Twenty-first century institutions have a real opportunity here. We must provide understandable pathways that help learners achieve their personal and professional goals, making these clear early in their educational journey and explicitly linking coursework to career opportunities.
Career advice and coaching should be integral to both enrolment and retention strategies. Students need to see the tangible results of their educational investment, to understand how their learning translates into real-world opportunities.
A holistic approach
My central argument is this: we need a holistic, evidence-based assessment of higher education to address the dynamic challenges facing our sector. In the Caribbean, as in the UK and globally, improving higher education quality isn't merely an academic exercise – it's critical to building national and regional competitiveness.
I was grateful for Emma Thomas's ( Managing Director and Founder Applied Inspiration / SEER ) kind words following my presentation, noting that examining practices and models from across the globe is essential as we prepare for regulatory changes and seek to share best practice across the education spectrum. That spirit of international learning and collaboration gives me hope.
The challenges are significant, but so too are the opportunities. By taking a comprehensive view – considering price, product, place and promotion together – we can create higher education systems that truly serve the needs of all learners, regardless of their regional location.
Dr Robert W Robertson is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Studies, University of London. He previously served as the first President of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (2016-2022) and as President and Chief Executive Officer at the University College of the Cayman Islands (2022-2025). He is a Principal Fellow and a Fellow City and Guilds London Institute.