UB looks to shorter programs to beat falling enrollment

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Enrollment at the University of the Bahamas has seen a steady decline over the past three years.

In 2019, the number of people enrolled at the institution stood at 4,671; over the next three years, the number fell to 4,575, then 4,366, and now stands at 4,235 students.

University of the Bahamas Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Maria Oriakhi says that a drop in enrolment is happening all around the world as younger people opt out of going to college because of the length of time it takes to complete degree programs.

“The trend universally and globally has been that enrollment is trending downwards,” she said.

“We’re finding that young persons are no longer willing to take four continuous years of their lives to invest in a or to devote to a bachelor’s degree or an undergraduate degree.”

Oriakhi is the only Bahamian sitting on the board of members in the Association of Chief Academic Officers, an international group made up of a number of senior professionals in academia.

The VP of Academic Affairs says that they have been evaluating and discussing what to do to attract young people to tertiary education and figuring out how to show them simultaneously that they are interested in their success and establishing measures for their educational development.

“Some of the things that we have done in order to do that is that we have expanded our offerings,” she continued.

“So everyone knows that you go four years of your life, and after completion of four years you get a bachelor’s degree; and then another two years, master’s, and then three to five years go on to do your doctorate. What we’ve done has done is micro-credentialing and stackable credit.

“Looking at not just having our undergraduate programs. We’re also strengthening and building our graduate programs and our graduate students to attract more students.’

According to Oriakhi, micro-credentialing and stackable credit allow individuals to complete a degree incrementally. After the first several months, a certification is awarded and if the person chooses to continue they will receive a certain amount of credits as they move up through the program until they finish the degree.

However, if they choose not to do so they would have still had the opportunity to acquire a certain amount of credits and a certification at the very least.

The interactive classrooms that were introduced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, will continue to provide a hybrid option for students who would not be able to attend class in person.

Oriakhi said this has opened the door for family island students to enroll as well as accommodate students who may be ill and unable to physically make it to class on any given day.

She said: “Prior to the COVID pandemic, we never had those classroom spaces. At the end of this fall semester, we’re looking to have 50% of all classes at the University of the Bahamas as an interactive space.

“And I should say the University of the Bahamas Oaks Field 50% because the University of the Bahamas North is ahead of us. We have 100% of their classes interactive so students can take advantage of those classes when they’re on the family island.”

The University has shifted even further into the digital space offering complete programs online as they expand on the ease of access to courses.

“I think up to 25% of our programs at the University of the Bahamas can be done completely in the virtual environment,” Oriakhi added.

“And we’ve been expanding on our graduate programs. We’re going to be introducing some of the master’s degrees in education. They will allow students to have an online component, so we are incorporating those into that.

“Despite all the bad things or the negativity that was associated with COVID because of death, it also brought life because it brought new life to the university and new experiences for our students.”