The Jamaican-American President of the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) Dr. Anthony E. Munroe says that a shared interest agreement with the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) in Jamaica would create “a platform for knowledge exchange, cultural enrichment, and academic growth and development.”
“Our collaboration is a testament to our shared sense of purpose in providing students, faculty, and our communities at large with the tools needed to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world,” Dr. Munroe, who was born and raised in the Bronx to Jamaican parentage, told Caribbean Life.
“We are thankful to the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York for connecting our institutions and look forward optimistically to the road ahead,” he added.
BMCC said the signing occurred during the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica, amid ongoing talks between the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York and BMCC regarding “leveraging their resources to work together locally and abroad for the betterment and in the interest of both communities.”
BMCC said it and UCC “endeavor to establish pathways for collaboration in research, student exchanges, and faculty development, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for all involved.
“The partnership provides a myriad of opportunities for the esteemed institutions of higher education to learn from each other, to build bridges, and to create a more inclusive and globally minded community,” it said.
Prof. Colin Gyles, CD, UCC president, said his university is “excited to embark on this collaborative journey with the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
“This partnership marks a significant step in fostering academic excellence and mutual understanding between our institutions, and we look forward to exploring and developing programs that will benefit our students and faculty,” he added.
Jamaica New York Consul General Alsion Wilson said she was “delighted to witness the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between Borough of Manhattan Community College and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean at the 10th Biennial Diaspora Conference.
“This MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) is both timely and significant, marking a new chapter in our ongoing commitment to fostering greater collaboration,” she said. “This agreement represents another positive outcome of the partnership between the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York and BMCC, aimed at achieving mutually beneficial outcomes for our communities in both regions.”
BMCC, part of The City University of New York (CUNY), said it enrolls 26,000 degree-seeking and 11,000 continuing education students a year, awarding associate degrees in more than 50 fields. It is the largest CUNY community college.
In 2024, BMCC said it was named the most affordable community college in New York by GoBankingRates.
BMCC also ranks #5 among community colleges nationwide in granting associate degrees to minority students, according to data from the US Department of Education.
UCC, registered as a University College by the University Council of Jamaica, said it is Jamaica’s largest, fastest-growing, non-affiliated private institution of higher education, and is now one of six higher education entities with the accolade of institutional accreditation from the University Council of Jamaica.
UCC is also institutionally accredited internationally by the United Kingdom-based Accreditation Service for International Colleges and Universities, and is registered by the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission, JTEC, the official GOJ regulatory body, as a Teaching University.
Now in its 20th year, UCC was formed in 2004 as a result of a merger in 2002 of the Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), and the Institute of Management and Production (IMP). Headquartered in Kingston, the Jamaican capital, the university college has five physical campuses and UCC Online.
The institution currently has about 7,000 students, locally & via UCC Global, and some 400 faculty and staff members, including part-time and full-time academic staff.
Since assuming leadership in September 2020, BMCC said President Munroe has “galvanized college-wide initiatives to build equity and inclusion, enhance retention and graduation rates, support students’ basic needs and increase their academic and career opportunities.”
Dr. Munroe, BMCC’s 11th president, is the president of Essex County College in New Jersey.
BMCC said he brings to the college three decades of experience as both an educator and a nationally recognized executive, and leader of urban healthcare and health education institutions. Dr. Munroe succeeds Interim President Karrin E. Wilks.
Earlier this year, Dr. Munroe received Caribbean Life’s Impact Award at a gala ceremony in Queens.
