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Incorporated in January 1992, the Institute of Management Sciences is a self-supporting, higher education institution, governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the executive body.

The board designs broad policy for the institution, and the executive body is responsible for the implementation of policies and directives from the board. Members are appointed for two years.

Programmes Expand:

From 1993 to 1997, IMS successfully developed and offered a two-year Associate of Science degree programme in Business Administration at five regional training centres in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, Clarendon, Manchester, St. Ann and St. James. The programme was supported and initially developed in conjunction with Dalhousie University, in Canada. Classes were held mainly on weekends, and to date, several batches of students, from each of the regional centres, have graduated.

Many graduates have since been accepted into other more advanced baccalaureate and graduate degree programmes offered by other local and overseas institutions including the University of the West Indies, University of Technology, Nova Southeastern University, Barry University, and Northern Caribbean University. The successful delivery of this formal sponsored credit programme required an intensive network of administrative, clerical and lecture staff at the respective sites. A Centre Manager was formally appointed to effectively coordinate and administer each programme, in direct consultation and collaboration with other officers and directors based at the central secretariat in Kingston.
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Accreditation achieved:
IMS grew to become one of the top three private higher education institutions in Jamaica, having gained recognition from the local accrediting body, the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) and full matriculation status from the University of the West Indies. The Institute’s Associate Degree in Business Administration programme is a UCJ accredited programme.

Offerings have grown from three certificate and diploma-level programmes to seven professional diploma programmes both in Kingston and Montego Bay, two associate of science degrees in business and management information systems, two bachelor’s degrees in business administration and tourism and hospitality management, and a master’s degrees in business administration, in conjunction with the Florida International University, FIU. More recently, participants are being recruited for the newest range of offerings: a bachelor’s degree in accounting, master’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in education all from FIU and a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Florida State University, FSU.
 

Graduates number over 60,000 at the Certificate, Diploma, Associate and Bachelor degree levels, who are making a difference to their organisations and to the country at large. In addition, for the current academic year, there are approximately one thousand prospective graduates at all levels.
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Alliances are formed:
In 1996, IMS began forming some unique local and international alliances that became integral to its success in Jamaica. Corporate partnerships and trade exchange arrangements were formed with Sandals Resorts International for hotel accommodation for local and overseas faculty, Air Jamaica and Air Jamaica Express for local and international travel, the British Executive Services Overseas, in England for management consultancy, CVM television, the Gleaner Company, and the Jamaica Observer for advertising and promotions. Between 1997 and 2000, other international partnerships were formed with the Florida International University, Howard University, the University of Florida, Penn State University and the London College of Management. In 2002/3, other partnerships have been formed with Digital Transtec Limited and Florida State University.

In addition, membership was sought and obtained in prestigious local and international umbrella organisations such as the Joint Committee on Tertiary Education, the American Council on Education, the Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions, the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica, the Jamaica Computer Society, the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce and the Jamaica Association of Training and Development.
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Florida International University becomes partner:
The Executive Master’s in Business Administration programme (weekend) was introduced in 1998 in collaboration with Florida International University, based in Miami. This decision provided the launching pad for IMS’ further growth. The first FIU cohort consisted of an unprecedented 78 students recruited from corporate Jamaica as well as the wider populace. The FIU EMBA degree programme, shortly after its introduction, gained great momentum and another large cohort was added within a year, and a third in September 2001.

In 2000, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (weekend) with the University of North Florida was added. Again responding to the demands of the Jamaican market, this undergraduate programme was introduced to satisfy the need of eligible mid-level working adults in the business sector.

Six months later, another Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management was established in Montego Bay in conjunction with the highly reputable FIU School of Hospitality Management. In order to satisfy the needs of qualified managers and other mid-professionals in computer information/technology sectors, the FIU bachelor’s in computer science degree was also launched in Montego Bay and Kingston.

With the growing level of undergraduate and graduate level programmes in Jamaica, small and large corporations were beginning to express the need for shorter, in-house executive-type training programmes tailored to meet the needs of middle and senior executives. Some short courses and seminars, generally two to three days, are being offered in response to specific corporate training needs. Some short courses are also being identified as upgrading or introductory level courses for some participants.
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Executive courses offered:
In 1999-2000, IMS formed other alliances with the University of Florida, Howard University, and Penn State University to offer a series of two/three-day executive training courses to corporate Jamaica and the wider community. Topics include Strategic Project Management, Finance for Non-Financial Managers, Marketing and Sales, Leading Organisational Change, Strategic Cost Reduction, and Improving Customer Service. These tailor-made courses have so far been offered in both Kingston and Montego Bay. IMS continues to effectively respond to the increasing demands of the Jamaican business community for high quality education at affordable costs.

During this rapid growth, IMS has been very cognizant of its responsibility for quality assurance in the delivery of all undergraduate and graduate degree programmes, including those offered directly by its international partners. Although all programmes were already registered and recognized by the local accrediting body, the institution voluntarily sought and obtained further recognition and matriculation status for its associate degree in business administration programme from the University of the West Indies.

It is important to note that IMS has also gone to great lengths to put support systems in place to ensure the highest quality of service to its students. Another area of service is students’ access to other learning resources and research materials via an on-line integrated web-based program called Web CT.

In October of 2002, IMS purchased the Institute of Management & Production (IMP). The Institute of Management and Production (IMP) was established in 1976 as the training institute of the ICD Group of Companies. In 1978, IMP expanded its role by offering educational and professional services (consulting, research and marketing) to the business community in Jamaica and the Caribbean. The merger of IMS and IMP formed one of the largest privately held tertiary education, consortia in Jamaica. With combined resources and experience, the institution, renamed IMS/IMP, was better able to provide a wider array of higher quality programmes, aiming to suite the needs of students and clients alike with a total of over thirty-five (35) years of combined experience in the business of training.

The Institutes, considered to be premier training providers in Jamaica, offer a variety of degrees, diplomas, and certificates and professional courses to the general public as well as customised courses to our corporate clients. IMP has delivered several similar training programmes funded by International Agencies, for both the private and public sectors. During the last three years, IMP has executed major projects for international agencies such as CIDA/ GOJ- ENACT Project, USAID/ NRCA - Development of Environmental Management organisations (DEMO), UNDP - Ministry of Local Government, Youth and Community Development, IDB - Youth Leadership Programme for leaders of inner -city communities. It has also provided training in specific areas such as Project Management to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce in association with the New Economy Project (NEP) and USAID, the Jamaica Private Power Company and the National Environment Management organisations also through the USAID.

In January 2004, the plans for the University College of the Caribbean, parent entity of IMS and IMP, and its logo were presented at a formal unveiling ceremony. Effectively, IMS and IMP will both function as subsidiaries of this new parent entity, and hence will begin to trade under the new name, University College of the Caribbean (UCC). Over the next five years the independent comprehensive post-secondary institution will therefore, gradually begin to offer an even wider range of local and overseas programme; from certificates through degrees and higher degrees. Its main focus, however, being at the baccalaureate and diploma levels in the applied areas. The UCC, through its subsidiary IMS, will also be gradually established as a regional hub in the Caribbean for the export and import of higher education services and programmes offered by its two main overseas affiliates, the Florida International University and the University of London. On the other hand, IMP will be the body responsible for the development and delivery of local certificate, diplomas, associate and bachelor degrees for the Jamaican market.

Essentially, the aims and objectives of the UCC, therefore, are to firmly position the institution as a centre of excellence distinguished by a wide variety of programmes both at the lower and upper levels; align the institution to ensure that it embodies new, emerging and changing trends in order to remain a relevant and viable option for higher education in Jamaica and the region, and finally to benchmark the institution against professional practices and international standards.

Since 2005 the UCC has embarked on an exciting phase in its growth. In early 2005 it launched the Distance Education and Global Learning initiative. A project designed to make tertiary studies as easily accessible as a television set. This would be accomplished through a hybrid distance learning modality employing video delivered lectures with periodic classroom tutorials and exams to enable students unable to attend a typical university campus to pursue their studies.

In 2006 UCC accomplished a dramatic growth in its course offerings expanding to fifteen professional diploma and certificate programmes, six Associate of Science degree programmes seventeen indigenous and two overseas Bachelor of Science and Arts programmes. At the Masters level UCC offers 7 Master of Science degrees in conjunction with the Florida International University and the University of London. These programmes are designed to serve and meet the training needs of the entire spectrum of both public and private sector organisations throughout Jamaica.