NEW CMU PRESIDENT APPOINTED

 The following is a Press Release from the Caribbean Maritime Institute:

Professor Andrew Spencer

The Council of the Caribbean Maritime University has appointed its new President as the organization enters a new stage of re-organisation and streamlining of its operations in the wake of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professor Andrew Spencer has been appointed to the post effective September 12, 2022 and takes over the mantle of leadership from Professor Emeritus Evan Duggan who had served as Interim President since June 1, 2020 until his contract ended. 

Professor Spencer comes to the Caribbean Maritime University having served as Deputy Executive Director at the Mona School of Business and Management at the University of the West Indies, UWI, and before that as Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company Limited, the largest agency in the Ministry of Tourism. Prior to those appointments, Professor Spencer served as Director and Senior Lecturer at the UWI Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management.

“As a University, we have been having discussions at various levels about the future of the institution and in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic those discussions are even more urgent,” said CMU Council Chairman Professor Gordon Shirley.

“We are confident that given his record of achievement and experience both inside and outside academia, Professor Spencer can help accelerate the implementation of the outcomes of those consultations and deliberations, further improving institutional governance and efficiency and enhancing CMU’s capacity to fulfil its mandate for specialized maritime education and training regionally” he added.  

Professor Spencer holds a PhD in Tourism Strategy from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom, a Master of Science Degree in Tourism & Hospitality Management from the University of the West Indies, Mona and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Tourism Management also from the University of the West Indies, Mona. He has published extensively in the field of tourism – authoring and co-authoring, three refereed books, as well as numerous referenced journal articles and book chapters. 

Professor Spencer has also consulted extensively with Caribbean nations on issues related to tourism development and has a record of service in the private and public sector. 

At present, he chairs the Governance Committee of the University Council of Jamaica, the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean’s Tourism Advisory Board.

Note:

The former head is now facing charges.