Seychelles Nation - 19.02.2010
Representatives from the London School of Economics (LSE) have explained the finance and environment degree courses they will run through the University of Seychelles (UniSey) from September.
The LSE’s external studies dean Dr Ray Richardson and its external programme director Professor Rosie Gosling presented four degree programmes – accounting and finance, banking and finance, economics and finance, and geography and environment – to prospective students yesterday.
Present at the session, in UniSey’s School of Education auditorium, Mont Fleuri, were the university’s vice-chancellor Dr Rolph Payet, its School of Humanities dean Dr Gerard Adonis and Seychelles International Business Authority chief executive Steve Fanny.
Also there were UniSey’s School of Sciences dean Dr George Ah-Thew and representatives of banks and offshore companies.
In his opening remarks, Mr Fanny said many emerging and developing nations like Seychelles face challenges in banking, government revenue and budgeting, and the design of long-term financial strategy due to a shortage of specialist personnel.
“The government has responded specifically to the need for enhanced capacity in finance management, financial sector supervision and private sector finance through the setting-up of UniSey,” he said.
He said the university will play a pivotal role in building human resources capacity in a sustainable, economical and efficient manner.
Mr Fanny added that these courses, to be offered in collaboration with one of the top universities in the United Kingdom, will cover a wide range of skills to meet the financial needs of the country.
Prof Gosling said the LSE is a college in the University of London, which will provide academic support to UniSey.
There is a strong relationship between the LSE and UniSey, which started three years ago when Dr Payet came to London, she added.
Prof Gosling said the LSE is very pleased to work with an institution like UniSey, which is presenting many opportunities to the people of Seychelles.
The University of London provides opportunities for people studying abroad, and the first such programme in the Indian Ocean region started in Mauritius, she said.
“This university was the first to offer degree courses at a distance, and now over 47,000 students study externally,” she said, adding that the students here will graduate with a University of London degree.
She explained that the LSE will be doing the capacity building – developing opportunities for students and also providing lecturers with the necessary training to teach programmes that are internationally recognised.
Dr Payet said these four courses are very demanding, and students need to have at least two A-levels with minimum B grades.
But students whose grades are not good enough can still enrol on the foundation programme and the university will prepare them for the course, he said.
“We are also encouraging students from the School of Business Studies to do their first degree in accounting, and then they can get an exemption when they follow their Association of Chartered Certified Accountants programme,” he said.
Dr Payet said both the government and private sector are willing to offer scholarships for these new degree programmes as demand is very high in these fields.
He said they already have a group of lecturers and soon they will recruit others for specialised courses like finance and accounts.
For the third year, UniSey will get foreign lecturers as the modules are much more specialised.
