to the president of one of the world's most elite insurance institutions.

"I've been coming to Bermuda for the past seven or eight years and am aware of, not only the quality and calibre of the insurance community, but also of Bermuda College students,'' said Ellen Thrower of New York's College of Insurance. Established in 1901, the College is the only private, accredited college of insurance in the world, said Dr. Thrower. And its' graduates are held in very high regard by those in the industry. Offering both a four-year undergraduate programme and a Masters' Degree in Business Administration (MBA), it has a `seamless transfer' relationship with the Bermuda College.

"It's seen to be a natural partnership,'' she said. "We work with the Bermuda College and attract, through (it), some of the very best young people to the profession in insurance and actuarial science. (The programme) allows students to attend their first two years on the Island and get the fundamental and core courses down, and then transfer to our campus in New York. (Bermuda College president) Dr. George Cook and I refer to it as a `seamless' programme. They come straight to us, we accept all their credits and they come back to outstanding jobs. Registrar at Nova Scotia's Acadia University, Jane Cayford, expressed similar sentiment. "In general, any student who has completed two years at a good college is likely to succeed if they come here,'' she said. "We've had a lot of students come from Bermuda College over the years and it's not like we're taking a chance with them.'' Ms Cayford said a formal agreement on student acceptance was established about a decade ago.

"(College president George) Cook laid the basis for an agreement -- first in the Associates' Degree of Arts and Science in 1983 or 1984 and then extended it to the Associates Degree of Business Administration in 1986. "We're always looking for good students. We're quite happy that we entered into that agreement with the College. We told them if meet certain standards, you will be accepted at Acadia. And we certainly have not been sorry.'' PHOTO Ellen Thrower MINI SUPPLEMENT SUP