Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to welcome you to Grenada, on the occasion of this seminal meeting. I am told that the CKLN is on the threshold of accelerated action at this point in its existence, having been the recipient of much needed resources. This means that you will be quite busy, as you seek to chart the hectic course forward. Despite that, I hope that you will find some time to savour the ambience and hospitality of our Grenadian people and environment. If you do not, please hold Mr Sylvester solely responsible. I think that we are all aware of the challenging times confronting the Caribbean, as the world experiences an unprecedented economic recession. Its impact on the Caribbean has been significant, as we literally grapple for survival. The evidence on the performance of the global economy and the economies of CARICOM countries in particular, suggest that we are likely to remain permanently disadvantaged until we graduate from our dependence on traditional industries and sectors. Globalization has resulted in radical changes in trade regimes that give new meaning to competitiveness and innovation. Knowledge based industries have emerged as the new engines of economic growth for many. But the opportunities they offer for a paradigm shift in our approaches to modernization, necessitate a review of the strategies that we have traditionally adopted in the area of post secondary education and training. These practices have placed our region among the countries with the lowest rate of tertiary training. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) offer opportunities for improved access, enhanced efficiencies and increased relevance in tertiary education and training. The implications for resources are significant. Indeed they demand collaboration and new partnerships among governments, development partners and other institutions. While many pronouncements have been recorded on the subject of ICTs in education, until the establishment of the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN), the region has not had a mechanism for the development and implementation of programmes that reflect the vision, and a framework for promoting collaboration among tertiary level learning institutions. Since its inception, the work of the CKLN has been focused on preparing tertiary learning institutions within CARICOM to leverage the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) in the delivery of their services to students. The primary goal is the improvement of access to education and training through the adoption of open and distance learning. For example, a student who normally resides in the most remote area in a CARICOM country, should be able to access via the computer, classes that are offered by a community college or University that may be hundreds of miles away. This however, necessitates the availability of courses designed for e-learning and an adequate institutional capacity for delivery. So far, there has been training in capacity building for the conversion of courses from a design for face to face to a design for e-learning. However, there are also concerns with regards to the relevance of courses, the skill sets of teachers and the willingness and readiness for change management. Also of concern is the unavailability of ICT infrastructure that is required, if tertiary learning institutions are to be positioned to offer e-learning and ICT supported improved services to students. These include hardware, software, connectivity and the internet. Institutionally, some progress has been made. The CKLN recently brought closure to the first project which was financed by the European Union and administered by the World Bank. Importantly, a new EU supported project has been approved and CKLN has received the first tranche. While future activities will build on the achievements in the area of institutional strengthening, there will be a focus on the development of e-courses and the promotion of greater collaboration. CaribNET will be the single most important deliverable of the CKLN’s work programme for the next two years. CaribNET will be a regional research and education network which will connect tertiary institutions within CARICOM to knowledge networks in Europe, North America, Latin America and elsewhere. It will facilitate research, collaboration and knowledge sharing. It will also provide a high capacity social bandwidth to CARICOM countries that will bridge the digital hole within the region and thereby position the beneficiary countries to realize the benefits of the information era. The importance of this is underscored by the consensus that information is now the World’s most important resource and that information based industries are the new engines of economic growth. In addition CaribNET is intended to support the Caribbean integration process by providing an enabling environment through connectivity in support of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME). It is in this context that this meeting assumes great significance. The overall objective of the CKLN Regional Institutional Strengthening Programme Committee (CRISPAC), is to provide a high level of guidance to the institutional strengthening of the CKLN. The CKLN hopes to benefit from the professional expertise of members and your commitment to a collaborative approach to the development of distance education capacity among tertiary learning institutions (TLIs) in the Caribbean. Last year’s inaugural meeting was held in Barbados and according to the report, participants focused on four themes that represented the framework for their discussions. These were quality assurance and accreditation, distance education platforms, shared services and collaboration. This year’s meeting I am informed, will seek to build on the achievements of the inaugural meeting and it is being planned around the following objectives: · apprising stakeholders of the achievements of CKLN and the lessons learned in the capacity building component of its programme, including a report on the performance of the project to date; · discussing the programming of the funds from CKLN II for continuation of capacity building at the tertiary institution and examining options for the future use of resources; · continuing the dialogue on how best CKLN can support regional mechanisms for the provision of “shared services” in the areas of accreditation, student administration and support service and the fostering of collaborative arrangements for the development and sharing of e-learning courses and programmes; · apprising stakeholders on the implementation schedule of CaribNET and taking advice and guidance on the implementation process to ensure that the needs of individual countries and institutions are best served and · engaging stakeholders in an initial dialogue that will lead to the development of a five year strategic plan for CKLN. As you engage in your deliberations, I wish you a productive meeting as we chart a course that will serve to revolutionize the access and delivery of tertiary education in our region. I thank you.