UCCI appoints new president from overseas
(CNS): Almost a year after the last president of the University College of the Cayman Islands, Dr Stacy McAfee, announced she would not renew her contract, the board of directors has revealed her replacement. UCCI Chairman Gilbert Mclean said that Dr Robert W. Robertson, who comes from Tampa, Florida, had been appointed after a “thorough local, regional and international search” to find the person best suited to lead the college.
“We are pleased to have Dr Robertson join UCCI as we continue to build a globally competitive academic institution,” McLean said in a press release.
Robertson said he was excited to join the team at UCCI. “Education is changing in the post-pandemic era and there are many opportunities to assist in preparing students for the new future of work,” he said.
Robertson holds dual citizenship as a Canadian and American and has more than 25 years of experience leading award-winning organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, according to the release. He has served as a business faculty member, MBA director, dean of business, VP of Academic Affairs and most recently as the first president of the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (2016-2022) in Nassau.
He also holds a long list of degrees and qualifications. In addition to his Doctorate in Management and Organisation from Stirling University, Scotland, he also holds three master’s degrees, one bachelor’s degree and five other postgraduate qualifications.
He has a Master of Studies in Environmental Law (Vermont Law School); Master of Public Administration (Dalhousie University, Canada); Master of Arts in Geography (Eastern Kentucky University); Bachelor of Science in Geography (East Tennessee State University); Post Graduate Diploma in International Management (University of London); Post Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution (Queen Margaret University, Scotland); Graduate Diploma in International Development (London School of Economics and Political Science); Executive Certificate, Innovation and Strategy (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); and, Executive Certificate, Leadership and Negotiation (Harvard University).
Robertson attended East Tennessee State University on a cross-country and track scholarship. He was inducted into the Cornwall, Ontario, Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. He was named a Fulbright Specialist (2016) by the US Department of State; an Emerging Leader in the Americas Program (2016 and 2020) by Global Affairs Canada; and a Senior Research Fellow (2022) with the School of Advanced Studies, Commonwealth Institute, University of London.
He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the peer-reviewed Florida Political Science Association Journal, The Florida Political Chronicle, and a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.
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Category: Education, Local News
Give him a chance before you start tearing him down. If people want to know more just Google him.
I see people lambasting the schools, the problems starts in the homes, and until we have students and parents who are serious about education it is not going to change. Too many times I’ve heard students remark “I am Caymanian I don’t need to study, or I’m just in school because I don’t reach 17 yet to stop coming. The government has to find work for me when I graduate or take care of me. I even had more than one parent who told me I work with the government I will get a job for my child so stop pressing them to do work and pass exams. Sadly I’ve seen some of these students in the jobs that their parents got for them after they waste their time in school
So you trash him before he is given a chance to prove himself! I don’t see anyone else stepping up with near qualifications. Let us support him and welcome him . He may be great and stay longer than 4 years.
Still trying to clean up the mess Roy left behind.
11:02. So true except we have a chair who is from the 1980’s school of learning.
Political appointed boards simply don’t work. Look at Airport Authority and Awfulreg.
Dr. Robertson appears to have more than enough degrees and diplomas to qualify for this post.
With all his time as a “professional student” has he ever worked? What is his experience?? Decades of experience should go farther than decades of acquiring knowledge. In the real world anyway…..
…or is he another opportunist who has got a chance to fool the Caymanian leaders. I’m sure nothing like that has ever happened before.
What?? Who is Syed??
Seriously, though. The Presidency of UCCI seems to be a revolving door. Looks like the Board of that tertiary institution follows the lead of the Education Department with our schools and curricula – let’s change every 4 years and disrupt stability.
Cayman’s public primary schools are on life support; public high schools have given up the ghost decades ago; now the public University College is following the same model – surely to achieve similar results.
Graduates who are barely literate and mostly unprepared for local job markets!!
Watch this space!
Was waiting on the ‘professional student’ comment. The man is an academic after all where knowledge is the currency of use.
Considering there are 24hrs in a day, much can be achieved if one has a handle on their time which is always a key attribute
of high achievers and successful people in general.
Persons who make such comments are
simple and plainly envious.
Most serious, genuine academics do not have this plethora of qualifications; it’s a bit concerning and “professional student” is a legitimate observation.
Come on Gilbert give a Caymanian an opportunity.
Such as whom, 10:32?
From overseas – don’t think could have anyone with such impressive credentials and expertise locally !looks like a superb selection to me.
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I give him one year. See what happened to the President who was here before him. Disgraceful. UCCI needs a leadership change from the top.
Cannot see why they did not support Roy Bodden when he was president of UCCI. XXXX In addition he was also highly respected by his students.
Roy equates success with monetary wealth and that not a good think to tell children or young adults. Many of speeches he made where had this plugged right in the middle.
The high schools aren’t giving him much to work with.
10:22, you mean the parents and the primary schools and the high schools aren’t giving him much to work with. Share the blame please.
And the parents aren’t giving those same children much to build on. It all starts in the home from day one.
True. How can any innocent child leave primary illiterate?!
At 11 or 12 years old their future is ruined.
The miseducation system is a travesty.
I didn’t think it was possible to do worse than the past five Education Ministers but it’s now happens.
Silently
Hopefully he is around longer that the UK PM!!
As Ms Annie used to say of Truman, “ he has more degrees than a thermometer”. It’s not a guarantor of success and Gilbert Mcleans record of appointing chief executives when he was minister of health and appointed two terrible failures to run his newly created HSA does not give much comfort.
If a Caymanian had a similar CV and academic record. You would hear things like they are unstable, and can’t stay in a job for long. Or the classic, you’re overqualified. Your varied academic record looks like you can’t make up your mind on what you want to be (Jack off all master of none). But because this guy shows up, he is already being hailed as a godsend because of how he looks on paper without proving anything thus far.
Funny though, the same sentiments were said of Mr. Hassan Syed and Ms. Stacy Macaffee. Oh let’s not forget Dr. Palov Rameau to name a few.
Wow! Very impressive.
Only wish there had been something more about his last job.