Four Virgin Islanders get ready to pursue studies in Asia

Four bright Virgin Islanders are getting ready to pursue higher education in Asia after being awarded scholarships under the Asia Study Abroad Scholarship programme.

The recipients are Travis Thomas, Tisa Donovan, Kimberly Cordes and Adante George. They are the first cohort to leave the BVI under the programme.

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said announcing the first cohort of scholars represents a momentous occasion in the Virgin Islands’ educational development.

“In the 1950s, 60s and 70s, the first wave of educational opportunities available to our students centered primarily on the Caribbean — the University of the West Indies, the University of the Virgin Islands and other universities in this region. In the mid-1980s, the United States and Canada became the primary study destinations. In the early 2000s, the United Kingdom followed as a primary destination for study with the introduction of home fees for Virgin Islanders,” Premier Wheatley stated.

“Today, we are making another leap, travelling even further to develop BVI talent in the Asia-Pacific region — the emerging economic and cultural centre of the world in the 21st century. These four students are pioneers, taking the first step from which we hope many others will follow,” the Premier added.

The programme is a three-way partnership between the Government of the Virgin Islands, elite universities in Asia, and the private sector, to provide Virgin Islanders the opportunity to study in Asia.

It will be administered by the BVI’s representative office in Hong Kong, which serves as a guide and liaison for Virgin Islanders studying in the region.

The Asia Study Abroad Scholarship programme.was established in 2020, by the BVI Hong Kong Office under the directorship of Dr Ricardo Wheatley in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports.