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Institutional Profile
The College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT) was established in October 2000, by an Act of Parliament, which brought into being the amalgamation of existing tertiary level institutions into a single multi-campus college that awards certificates, diplomas, associate and bachelor’s degrees in a wide range of specialized, technical and academic programmes. COSTAATT serves the broader interests of the national community by supporting, maintaining and expanding access to tertiary level education, in fulfillment of the College’s mission and vision.
One of the largest national public tertiary level educational institutions in Trinidad and Tobago, COSTAATT enrolls students in disciplines such as Information Technology, Business, Nursing, Radiology, Environmental Studies, Journalism and Public Relations, Psychology and Social Work. For the past three years the College increased enrolment in several areas of study by an average of 30% annually. COSTAATT’s current total enrollment for the 2008/2009 Academic year is approximately 5000.
In 2006, the College marked a new phase in its development with the introduction of Bachelor’s Degree programmes in Water Resources Management and Technology, Radiography, Radiation Therapy and Environmental Management, the latter of which was introduced in January, 2007. In September 2008, the College introduced the Bachelor’s Degree in Water and Wastewater Management, developed in collaboration with the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA). The introduction of these programmes addresses the growing need in local and regional markets for higher level certification within these fields. The new programmes also provide the opportunity for students to achieve a baccalaureate level qualification in these areas of study at a local institution.
Objectives
As one of the largest national tertiary level institutions in Trinidad and Tobago, COSTAATT is committed to the development of the nation’s human capital. Its main objectives are as follows:
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To broaden access to tertiary level education and training through an inclusive admissions policy and the development of multiple delivery modes including distance education;
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To increase the number of individuals participating in tertiary level education and training;
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To design/deliver customized programmes to cater for the specific needs of different sectors of the economy;
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To collaborate with business and industry in the development and delivery of programmes that are relevant to current and future labour market needs;
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To ensure a quality educational experience by constantly reviewing and improving services offered to students in terms of student advisement, learning resources and facilities in general;
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To raise the level of graduate competency by assisting students in developing the professional and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.
Achievements
COSTAATT currently plays, and will continue to play, a role of strategic importance in this country’s development thrust, consistent with Government’s Vision 2020 and has to date achieved the following:
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Expanded access to tertiary level education in critical sectors which were underserved by the education system.
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The implementation of a core curriculum comprising courses in Communication, Mathematics, Information Literacy, Computer Literacy, and Perspectives on Contemporary Issues, which are specifically designed to produce a well-rounded graduate who can function in a multi cultural, multi-ethnic and constantly changing society.
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Introduction of new degree programmes in areas such as: Occupational Safety and Health, Environmental Health, Environmental Management, Environmental Technology, Water Resources Management and Technology, Foreign Languages for Business: Spanish, Journalism/Public Relations, Psychology, Management Studies for the Protective Services, Mathematics, Literatures in English, Biology, Physics, Human Resources Management, and Library and Information Studies.
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Introduction of a new range of continuing education certificate level programmes such as Court Transcription, Pharmacy Assistant, Health Records Science, Records Management and Geographic Information Systems, to meet critical training needs in specific sectors.
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Introduction of placement tests in Mathematics and English with referral to remedial courses where necessary.
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Recognition of COSTAATT’s programmes by local, regional and international higher education institutions.
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Transfer of credits for COSTAATT graduates entering universities in North America.
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Branding of programmes both locally and regionally.
Government is in the process of re-engineering higher education development in Trinidad and Tobago and within this landscape, COSTAATT is pivotal to the achievement of Government’s goal of 40% participation in tertiary education by 2020. As a national college, COSTAATT embraces its ‘community’ mandate in both human and geographic terms and believes it must strive to meet the needs of all who aspire to access and benefit from higher education, but who are not currently well-served by the gaps in the national higher education system. To this end, the College will be the major bridging institution within the tertiary education sector, offering a wide range of programmes to traditional and non-traditional students, that is to say, school leavers with the requisite five (5) CXC passes and students who need additional work in the core academic subjects in order to prepare them for college level study and graduates of vocational programmes such as YTEPP and SERVOL who want to further their studies. To date the College has piloted the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) programme which addresses the need to strengthen access for adult learners.
A Quality Approach
The quality of the programmes at COSTAATT is assured through the adoption of a comprehensive internal quality assurance system that engages representatives of business, industry and state agencies in oversight of programme relevance, content, design and quality; that proactively provides pre-service and in-service teacher training to equip faculty with the competencies needed to address the College’s particular student profile; that continuously assesses the quality of teaching, learning and academic support services and on the basis of findings, makes the necessary quality improvement interventions. In June 2008 COSTAATT was registered by the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) for a period of three years. |
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