The document summarizes a seminar on lessons learned from the CaribErasmus program. It notes the political, economic, linguistic, and higher education complexities within the Caribbean region. CaribErasmus aimed to increase awareness of and attractiveness of European higher education opportunities for Caribbean partners and students. Over two years, it conducted surveys, partnership seminars in four countries, created an online study portal, and engaged in consultation. The program learned that there is high interest but different institutional capacities within the region, and that local support is key to collaboration.

1. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
The Caribbean seen with European eyes:
lessons learnt within CaribErasmus
Fabio NascimbeniFabio Nascimbeni
MENON NetworkMENON Network

2. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
A glance into Caribbean complexity
DIFFERENCES SIMILARITIES DIVISIONS
Country sizes Climate Languages
Population sizes Cultural Homogeneity Insularity
Political status Colonization History Geopolitical influences
Economic
Development
Forced migrations
from Africa
Economy
Diaspora trained in the
North

3. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Travelling complexity
Star Pattern airline
transportation system…
Ocean cruising turists
have better perception
of Caribbean identity
than locals!

4. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Political complexity
Many regional political schemes from the inside and the
outside:
CARICOM
OECS
ACS
CARIFORUM
COTONOU/ACP/EU
…

5. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Linguistic complexity
SPANISH: Language of the majority of population, but actually
spoken in only 3 countries
FRENCH: More French speakers than English, but only in 5
countries
CREOLE: in Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyane… St Lucia
DUTCH CARIBBEAN: Multilinguism!!

6. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Higher Education and international
cooperation complexity
Strong bilateral cooperation links with EU countries
Fragmented interregional cooperation
Two regional universities (UWI, UAG)
Diaspora of professors and researchers
The specific case of Cuba
Multilinguism
French Caribbean: a bridge to Europe?
The poorest LAC country: Haiti
…

7. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
CaribErasmus: aim and philosophy
AIM
to contribute to increase the awareness on European higher education
opportunities and to enhance the attractiveness, the profile and the visibility of
European Higher Education institutions towards Caribbean partner universities,
students and researchers.
PHILOSOPHY
Promote EU HE in a collaboration perspective, that means not through one-way
promotion activities but rather through partnership building: “promote and improve
by sharing”.

8. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
The partnership
AND: UNESCO, CARICOM, Association of Caribbean Tertiary Level
Institutions, Universidad.es, MICYT DR, …

9. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Two years of work
• Survey on Caribbean students and researchers perceptions about
studying in Europe
• Four partnership-building and promotion seminars (Jamaica,
Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Haiti)
• Study choice portal dedicated to Caribbean students
• Promotional Kit on Caribbean HE
• Consultation Process and Green Paper

10. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
What we have learnt
High interest from Caribbean stakeholders and positive
feedback
Local support is key
Different levels of institutional capacity
We might have opened ways for future stable collaboration
Complexity matters

11. CaribErasmus Final Seminar Brussels, 4th July 2012
Thank you!
www.cariberasmus.eu