Dr Rosalea Hamilton (centre), professor of entrepreneurship and development at the University of Technology (UTech), and the university's president, Professor Errol Morrison, receive a cheque from Scotiabank's Chief Executive Officer Bill Clarke (left) to finance Professor Hamilton's recently established chair at the institution. - Contributed
The University of Technology (UTech) has named international trade expert, Dr Rosalea Hamilton as professor in entrepreneurship and development under a chair funded by the Bank of Nova Scotia to study and support the growth of micro, small and medium-sized (MSMEs) businesses in Jamaica.
The bank, through its Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation, has pledged $32.5 million towards the project, to be disbursed over a five year period.
Timely donation
"The Scotiabank Chair is timely in so far as it will actively light the fire to upgrade the entrepreneurial capacity of MSMEs to enable them to compete globally and to take advantage of the opportunities in the Economic Partnership Agreement, between the Caribbean and the European Union, and other trade agreements," Hamilton said at last week's launch of the project.
Dr Hamilton, who once advised on international trade issues at the Jamaican foreign ministry, recently joined UTech as vice-president of development.
Strengthening alliance
The project is based at the university's Technology Innovation Centre and has among its components the strengthening of a MSME alliance, a grouping of associations that largely represent micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
The alliance was launched with five core members: Jamaica Wood Products and Furniture Association, National Association of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists, National Council of Taxi Association, Hardware Merchants Association and the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers' Association. Its membership has since grown to 21.
The project will also collaborate with UTech's newly-incorporated Masters in Business Administration (MBA), facilitating research and case studies on entrepreneurship and development.
