The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a public, co-ed, 1862 land grant and Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and the only institution of higher learning in the territory of the US Virgin Islands that awards certificates, associates, masters, and doctorate degrees. Until recently UVI was lacking an academic program in Agriculture, but on June 20, 2020 UVI Board of Trustees approved the creation of a new School of Agriculture, to combine agricultural research programs, extension programs, and academic programs in one unit.
The research component has a long tradition developed by the Agriculture Experiment Station (AES), which conducts basic and applied research in animal science, aquaculture, aquaponics, biotechnology, forage agronomy, fruit and ornamental crops and vegetable crops. The Extension programs of the Cooperative Extension Services (CES) consist of Agricultural and Natural Resources, 4-H/Family and Consumer Sciences, and Communications, Technology and Distance Learning .
T he Academic unit has already six certificate programs (General Agriculture, Agricultural Business, Agrotourism, Horticulture, Forestry and Nursery Management , and Aquaculture), and two Associate degrees (Agroecology, and Horticulture) and it is developing some more certificates, a ssociate of a pplied s cience d egrees, and bachelor’s degree programs in the areas of Animal Science, Regulatory Science, Cannabis Social Science, Cannabis Biotechnology, and Agricultural Business/Economics.
UVI is worldwide recognized due to the Aquaponics short course developed at the AES which provided training in plant and tilapia production to people in mainland U.S., the Caribbean and around the world. The new Agriculture programs and the Aquaculture certificate will provide opportunities for research collaboration in Aquaponics, Maraponics, and Marine aquaculture, among others, due to the privileged geographical situation with access to coastline and tropical temperatures all year around. Also, the Aquaculture program will explore biological and technical principles for microalgae, bivalves, echinoderms, holothuroids, and fish production in the Caribbean. The oretical and practical knowledge as well as hands-on operational experience is emphasized, using laboratory and field equipment.