Antigua and Barbuda has launched a new tertiary institution described as “revolutionary,” following the merger of several post-secondary colleges into one national college. The Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS) was formally unveiled Tuesday at Sandals Grande. It combines Antigua State College, the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology, and the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute. A fourth institution, the Harrison Centre Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education, is also expected to join the merger. The consolidation was made possible by the ABCAS Bill 2025, which passed both houses of parliament earlier this year. Prime Minister Gaston Browne used the ceremony to announce an ambitious goal: that within a decade, at least half of Antigua and Barbuda’s population will hold a college or university degree. Calling the merger an “educational revolution,” Browne linked the target to his government’s broader strategy of inclusion and competitiveness. He pointed to the new opportunities available through ABCAS, the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, and international scholarship programs. Browne acknowledged that the pledge could strain local institutions and the labor market but argued that an oversupply of graduates was preferable to a shortage. If jobs cannot absorb the number of degree-holders, he said, Antigua and Barbuda could “export skills” rather than risk underemployment. The Prime Minister also urged that ABCAS include leadership and civics training, saying education should instill discipline, national pride, and civic responsibility alongside academics.
