The University of Guyana and Canada’s Trent University are collaborating on a CDN$5 million research programme funded by CGX Energy and Frontera Energy.
The programme is called the Advanced Academic and Research Programme in Sustainable Transformation of Guyana. It will provide scholarships and funding for local research projects.
Representatives from the institutions and organizations involved in the programme gathered in the Education Lecture Theater located at the UG’s Turkeyen Campus on Thursday afternoon to formally signed an agreement to kick start the venture.
The programme is set to create eight Masters and four PhD scholarship opportunities for 12 qualified UG applicants who will be carefully selected.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed who looks at Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement, spoke about the programme.
“This project is also going to create research funds and all of those research projects are going to be based in Guyana…It’s going to pay for funding, it’s going to pay for publications, it’s going to pay for travel, it’s going to pay for accommodation and tuition for over five years,” Dr Paloma Mohamed said.
Mohamed also noted that CGX and Trent will also lend non-reimbursable technical support to the University in the areas of strengthening its financial, human recourses and security systems.
Due to Guyana’s ever-advancing oil and gas sector, the education and preparation of Guyanese to function effectively within the non-petroleum sectors is key, the University said.
“Taking Guyanese students, helping them to further their education and then returning that value back through teaching, research and value generation for the country of Guyana and for me that is truly sustainable,” said Michael Stockinger CGX Vice President of Operations Development
The programme will focus on areas such as watershed ecosystems and water quality, sustainable food and agriculture and indigenous studies.
