The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands campus in Antigua and Barbuda is set for expansion under the Saudi Fund for Development, a loan valued at US$80 million.

According to recent reports, the project was agreed upon by the government of Antigua and Barbuda to improve tertiary education in the region.

Professor Densil Williams, pro vice-chancellor and principal of the Five Islands campus, said the expansion project is aimed at meeting the growing demand for access to tertiary education in the next few years.

“The Five Islands campus is on an expansion path, to ensure that we meet the access revolution in tertiary education. We know the vision; we’re going to get to at least 5,000 students over the next five to 10 years, and we’re looking at 1,000 within the next two to three years,” he said.

He further noted that a clear model was established to determine what the campus will look like to meet the needs of students in the next few years.

This expansion project will begin in a few weeks and will see the construction of student housing, administrative buildings, a library, a sports complex and recreational facilities, among others.

The Saudi Fund for Development is a Saudi Arabian government agency that provides assistance to developing countries by financing social and infrastructure projects.