About the Registrar

An organised, analytical and competitive professional with approximately three decades of experience at Executive/Senior levels in tertiary education, public, diplomatic and private sector. Possess wide experience in both tertiary education and international economic relations. Hard working and dedicated with excellent negotiating skills.

Dr C. Nigel Gravesande truly possesses considerable experience in both tertiary education and international economic relations. Indeed, because of his proven track record at the local, regional and international levels in providing sustainable solutions to complex and challenging problems, particularly in the tertiary education sector in the Region, the University of Guyana is honoured to have him, an alumnus of the University, as its Registrar.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

• Bachelors of Arts (BA) Degree (1977)
• Master of Arts (MA) Degree (1981)
• Masters Thesis entitled: “The Venezuela-Guyana Boundary Dispute: An issue in effective occupation and international law.”
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Relations (2009).
• Doctoral Thesis entitled: “An assessment of Regional Integration efforts by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in the latter half of the nineteenth century: An Agenda for immediate action.”
• Certificate of Participation at the Inaugural ACTI Training Leadership Institute – St. Ann’s, Jamaica June 18-21, 2013.

MOST RECENT PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE:

• August, 2002 – August 2015, Registrar of the T.A. Marryshow Community College, St. George’s, Grenada.
• 1999 – 2002: Corporate Secretary, AvantGuard Bank & Trust Ltd. St. George’s, Grenada
• 1997 – 1999: Director of Tourism, Grenada Board of Tourism, St. George’s, Grenada
• 1995 – 1997: Director of International Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grenada
• 1993 – 1995: Director of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Finance and Trade, Grenada
• 1991 – 1993: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade Tourism and Industry, Georgetown, Guyana
• 1990 – 1991: Senior Economic Analyst, Embassy of the Republic of China, St. George’s
• 1985 – 1990: Director of Projects and Planning, Ministry of Education and Social Services, Grenada

PROFESSIONAL ASSIGNMENTS:

• Conducted a study entitled: “Youth Entrepreneurship in selected Commonwealth Countries” for the Commonwealth Youth Programme, Georgetown, Guyana (1998)
• 1999 – 2002: Corporate Secretary, AvantGuard Bank & Trust Ltd. St. George’s, Grenada
• Core member of the CARICOM Team that negotiated and concluded a “One Way Free Trade Agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Republic of Venezuela.” (1992)
• 1995 – 1997: Director of International Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Grenada
• Member of a Group of Experts and High Level Officials commissioned by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Governments to review the Common External Tariff (CET) (July 1991 – October 1992)
• 1991 – 1993: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade Tourism and Industry, Georgetown, Guyana
• Served as Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Environment Sub-Committee of the Product Development Committee
• Served as Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Task Force of LOME IV Funding for the Regional Tourism Sector
• Appointed Chairman of the Caribbean Export (Caribbean Export Development Agency) Barbados. July 1995 – December 1997)
• Served as Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Board of Directors of Tourism – September 1998

PARTICIPATION AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS:

1. Represented the Governments of Guyana and Grenada and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at over one hundred regional and international conferences on tertiary Education, Trade, Investments, Tourism, Industrial Development, Education, Civil Aviation and Energy related matters.
2. Active Member of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) from 2012 to present. It is to be observed here that for more than a century AACRAO, has been the leading and recognised source for information on student admissions, academic records, best practices in tertiary education within the Registrar’s Office, international education and enrolment management.

PUBLISHED ARTICLES:

1. 1. “Challenges facing CARICOM/NAFTA Relations” for the OECS EXPO Magazine and Buyers Guide (Grenada – June 1994)
2. 1. Weekly articles on the Caribbean’s political, economic and social issues on the Internet. Site entitled “Gravesande’s Global Caribbean” on Caribupdate.com (2002)
3. “Can Grenada and other OECS Member States derive significant benefits from the EPA” Paper presented at an EPA Consultation with Private Sector Stakeholders May17, 2012 Red Cross Conference Room, and St. George’s, Grenada.