(Seychelles News Agency) - The University of Seychelles is now fully engaged to help Gibraltar to successfully set up its own University by the end of 2015 and to continue collaborating in the future.

A memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Unisey and Gibraltar’s Ministry of Education that will help the two sides to develop cooperation in various areas.

The Education Minister of the British overseas territory Gilbert Licudi currently in the Seychelles proceeded to the signing yesterday together with the Pro Chancellor of Unisey Professor Rolph Payet, also the Seychelles Minister for Environment and Energy.

Speaking to SNA, Payet said while Unisey provides a model for Gibraltar as it endeavours to set up its own university, Unisey also has much to learn from Gibraltar.

“Through the MOU there can be exchanges of information, Unisey will also be able to access books and other publications which are easier to get from Europe, there could also be other exchanges in terms of researchers and lecturers” said Payet.

Gibraltar through the MOU also wants to learn from the Unisey’s environmental programme while it will also develop its own programmes in that field.

One other important aspect of the MOU is the possibility to establish a two centre institution.

“Through such, Unisey students can study for one year in Seychelles and two years in Gibraltar for example or students from Gibraltar can undertake the theory side of their studies back home and then come to Seychelles for the practical side,” noted Payet highlighting that the details of such collaboration will need to be properly defined.

In an article published today in daily newspaper ‘Seychelles Nation’, Payet said that: “seeing a fellow islander joining us in setting up a university is a great boost because it shows we are all passionate about education, the youth and about making sure there is a future for them.”

When he met with the Seychelles President James Michel, also Chancellor of the University of Seychelles on Tuesday, Licudi said the purpose of his visit was to learn from Seychelles experience in setting its university and to apply that, now that Gibraltar is on course to do the same.

At yesterday’s signing Licudi said the process started two years ago adding that what he has learnt will surely help Gibraltar to remain on course and successfully complete the project by the end of 2015.

“We wanted to learn lessons Seychelles has learned, what could have been done differently, what things worked and what could have worked better,” said Licudi adding that the hope is to continu the collaboration with Unisey beyond the successful setting up of the university.

The University of Seychelles (UniSey) set in September 2009, offers degree and post graduate studies to Seychellois and international students including 17 undergraduate course programmes and four post-graduate programmes, with degrees awarded by the University of London, L’Université de La Réunion, L’Université de Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne, Amity University, India, the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) among others.

Seychelles is the only country in Africa that has already fully achieved education for all, in line with the six Education For All (EFA) goals set out by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, for attainment in 2015, according to a new report published in May by UNESCO’s Regional Office in Dakar.