Paris, 12 November 2021 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that Jamaica is now a member of the Governing Board of the UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Minister Grange, who has responsibility for UNESCO, said that Jamaica’s membership of Governing Board of the Institute was “a significant achievement that would enhance the country’s efforts in higher education”.

Jamaica will be represented on the Governing Board for the period 2021-2025 by Dr Dameion Black, the Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission.

The UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean is the only specialised institute of the United Nations system with the mission to contribute to the improvement of higher education in member States. The Institute is governed by a Governing Board whose members are appointed by the Director General of UNESCO, based on proposals from States and Higher Education networks and organisations.

The work programme and budget of the Institute for the next two years are up for approval at the UNESCO General Conference, now underway in Paris, France.

Minister Grange has been elected as a Vice President of the General Conference.

END