Office of Global Affairs (OGA)

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HISTORY


The Office of Global Affairs (OGA) builds on the legacy of regional and international outreach that began with the establishment of the Extramural Department at the Mona Campus in 1948, later to be known as the School of Continuing Studies. 

In 1982, The UWI strengthened its outreach to its constituents through the provision of distance education under the UWI Distance Teaching Experiment, which moved from project status in 1986, to be known as the UWI Distance Teaching Enterprise, and later the UWI Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC). 

In 1984, the Office of University Services (OUS) was established at the Cave Hill Campus following recommendations emanating from consultations and studies.  Its primary mandate was to focus outreach strategies on the countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) through the mobilization of regional and international resources in order to facilitate institutional strengthening, including staff training and professional development, and to provide technical assistance.

In 1994, the report of the Chancellor’s Commission on Governance recommended a number of changes to the governance structures of the university.  One outcome was the establishment in 1996 of the Tertiary Level Institutions Unit (TLIU), successor of the OUS, under the Board for Non-Campus Countries and Distance Education (BNCC&DE).  TLIU had offices at the Cave Hill and Mona Campuses.  Its remit included franchising, articulation, divestment and joint delivery of UWI programmes in addition to the original mandate of institutional strengthening and technical assistance. 

TLIU further evolved into the Office of External Relations, Inter- and Intra-Institutional Collaboration (ERIIC) in 2008 when the Open Campus was established by the amalgamation of UWIDEC, SCS and TLIU, and the dissolution of the BNCC&DE.

With the establishment of the Central Office for Regional and International Affairs (CORIA) in 2012, the Office of ERIIC was dissolved.  CORIA was charged with coordinating and strengthening The UWI’s regional and international engagement.  The work of CORIA was subsumed with the establishment of the OGA in July 2016.