Representatives from Troy University have signed an academic partnership with Bermuda College designed to give local students opportunities to study at the institution.

The articulation agreement was signed on Tuesday by Jack Hawkins, the Chancellor of Troy, who is visiting the island with a small delegation from the university, and Branwen Smith-King, the interim president of Bermuda College.

The agreement seeks to explore collaboration opportunities and promote information about the enrolment process for the university in Alabama as well as special scholarships for students from Bermuda.

It is part of the US Consulate’s Study With US campaign, which seeks to strengthen ties between Bermuda and US educational institutions.

Karen Grissette, the US Consul-General, said during the signing ceremony at the college: “On behalf of the US Government, I am so proud to support this new transfer agreement between the Bermuda College and Troy University. It brings Bermuda and the United States even closer together, and highlights the deep collaboration between our institutions of higher education.

“This new partnership demonstrates the commitment of Troy University and Bermuda College to give Bermuda’s young people greater opportunities.”

Ms Grissette said there was a misconception that studying at a US university is costly, adding that Troy is an accessible option.

It will enable Bermuda College students undertaking the Associate of Arts Business Administration programme to transfer two years of credit hours to complete a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Troy.

Ms Smith-King said: “The Business Administration Associate degree programme is one of our most popular programmes, and thus we are very pleased to be able to provide our students with yet another pathway to well-recognised and well-established universities such as Troy. I do understand that it has quite a lot of Bermudians among its illustrious alumni.”

Ms Smith-King acknowledged the work of the college’s Academic and Student Affairs team, in particular Constance Smith, who she said was instrumental in forging the link with Troy.

She added that Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, will offer scholarships to two students who have been accepted to Troy University for the next academic year.

Dr Hawkins said Troy aims to provide students with a “meaningful” experience.

He said: “The most important thing we do at Troy University is to serve students. The second most important thing we do is hire people who support them and encourage them.

“We are proud of the setting, and we work hard to make it cost-effective, and offer the very finest in quality.”

Dr Hawkins highlighted a number of courses at Troy, including Risk Management and Insurance.

He added: “The vast majority of those students will do an internship at Lloyd’s of London. We want our students not only to be globally competitive. We are encouraging all of our students to be involved in internships and to spend time outside of the country.

“We offer programmes that we think meet the needs of the general public. We take great pride in the employability of our graduates. We take great pride in partnerships that lead to their success.”

Kim Swan, a former student of Troy University, said “as a country boy from White Hill”, he was humbled to welcome the delegation from Troy to Bermuda.

“Troy has long been a global university and has been taken to a new level by Dr Hawkins,” he said.

Mr Swan said that Joan Dillas-Wright, the President of the Senate, through Troy University’s Nursing Doctorate programme, offered a scholarship for $20,000 to encourage nursing in Bermuda.

A networking reception was hosted last night by Ms Grissette at the US Consul-General’s official residence in Hamilton Parish.

It aimed to “celebrate the new partnership and explore opportunities for further collaboration with education stakeholders”.