BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) has welcomed
another partner into the fold with the Thursday, 17 June 2021 signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Western Illinois University (WIU). Due to the COVID-19 travel
restrictions, this signing was held virtually and broadcast online on CXC® TV.
Under this agreement, Caribbean students seeking to take advantage of degree
programmes at WIU will benefit from the matching of coursework requirements at WIU
against the CXC® syllabus, which will allow for more seamless matriculation. The CXC®
Associate Degree and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination® (CAPE®)
qualifications will also be recognised by WIU. As such, students can use their CAPE®
qualifications to fulfil partial credit requirements towards their bachelor’s degree, allowing
them to complete their degree in less than four years. This has significant cost-saving
implications for students at the undergraduate level and means that the prospect of further
studies for these students will be more easily within their reach.
Dr Wayne Wesley, Registrar and CEO of CXC®, noted that “the signing of this MOU is in line
with CXC’s transformational agenda and its commitment to the people of the Caribbean,
and opens another pathway for students to receive quality tertiary-level education.”
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Dr Martin Abraham, Provost and Academic Vice
President of WIU noted that he and his team are “delighted to partner with CXC® in
recognition of the CAPE® subjects and the CAPE® Associate Degree. We recognize the
quality and rigor of the curriculum, and we are delighted to ensure that the outstanding
students from the Caribbean receive full credit for their hard work when they enroll at
Western Illinois University.”
In addition to the opportunities provided for students, another key feature of the MOU is
the collaboration between CXC® and WIU on research for the digital transformation of the
education system as well as the collaboration on faculty and staff development, to advance
teaching, learning and assessment in the Caribbean.
Photo Caption: Dr Wayne Wesley, Registrar and CEO of CXC® and Dr Martin Abraham,
Provost and Academic Vice President of WIU after the virtual signing of the MOU.
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About CXC®:
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) was established in 1972 under Agreement by the
Participating Governments in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). CXC® assures the global
human resource competitiveness of the Caribbean through the provision of syllabuses of the
highest quality; valid and reliable examinations and certificates of international repute for
students of all ages, abilities and interests; services to educational institutions in the
development of syllabuses, examinations and examinations’ administration, in the most cost-
effective way.
CXC® comprises 16 Participating Countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts
and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos
Islands.
The organisation also collaborates with countries in the Dutch Caribbean – Curaçao, Saba, St
Eustatius and St Maarten, as well as Suriname.
Additional information about the Caribbean Examinations Council can be found at www.cxc.org
*Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) is the trademark of the Caribbean Association of National Training Authorities. CXC® is one of
the National Training Agencies in the Caribbean which awards CVQs.
About Western Illinois University:
Continuing a 17-year trend, Western Illinois University’s combination of excellent academics,
affordability, supportive faculty, and student services has again brought a “Best Midwestern
College” designation for Western from The Princeton Review.
Western Illinois University serves nearly 7,500 students at its traditional, residential four-year
main campus in Macomb, IL and its metropolitan campus in Moline, IL. Our campuses serve as
home to 300 international students, and our dynamic Center for Global Studies provides
assistance and resources to our international student body.
Western, which is the educational, cultural, and athletic center in our region, is a
comprehensive university offering 62 undergraduate and 41 graduate degree programs, which
includes an Ed.D. in educational leadership and a Ph.D. in environmental science.
For further information kindly contact us at +1 (246) 227-1700 or email cxcezo@cxc.org
(Barbados), or for queries in Jamaica at + 1 (876) 630-5200 or email: cxcwzo@cxc.org
