Bermuda students may soon be able to earn a post-secondary school degree without leaving home.

This is the hope of Dr. William Levy, Professor Emeritus and Dean of Graduate Studies at Schiller International University.

Schiller is a distance-learning university, accessed by Internet, so that students from around the world can be connected to a `virtual classroom'.

Dr. Levy said: "It is time that Bermuda as well as some of the countries in the West Indies join the twenty-first century, it's time international education is brought to Bermuda.'' The University is based in Dunedin, Florida and has affiliations in England, France, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland, and teaches students from as far afield as China and Lebanon.

Some 1,800 students in over 100 countries study at the eight campuses which offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programmes, specialising in the fields of International Business, International Relations and Diplomacy, International Hotel and Tourism Management, International Economics and Languages.

The university is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award associates, bachelor's and master's degrees.

Dr. Levy wants to convince Bermudians that establishing a Schiller centre here is in the Island's best interests. He also said it would be ideal for the university to be affiliated with Bermuda College.

He asked Rotarians to help him achieve his goals and to consider supporting students by setting up scholarships.

Dr. Levy has also visited Barbados as a potential centre in the Caribbean for the university, but said he would personally prefer to set one up in Bermuda.

Dr. Levy started talks with the Island's educators on Monday and was quick to point out that this is simply the start of dialogue and they are at a very early stage.

As this was the case, he could not say exactly what the cost of studying at the virtual university would be, but said there were many scholarships available.

He also said it would be substantially cheaper than a traditional MBA which costs on average around $15,000.

As a comparison, he said Cambridge University in England had just launched an online MBA costing $100,000.

Online educator: Dr. William Levy asks Hamilton Rotary Club members for help in establishing Schiller International University as Bermuda's distance learning authority.

EDUCATION EDC