Antigua and Barbuda has secured 10 scholarships in entrepreneurship and e-business for local students following recent education talks in China, the government announced Thursday.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said Education Minister Daryll Matthew obtained the scholarships during a visit to Hangzhou Normal University while attending a seminar in the People’s Republic of China.
Merchant said the scholarships were secured through the university’s Alibaba Business School and will be made available to Antiguans and Barbudans pursuing studies in entrepreneurship and digital business.
“He was able to secure 10 scholarships from the Alibaba Business School of that same university for Antiguans and Barbudans, particularly in entrepreneurship and e-business,” Merchant said during the post-Cabinet briefing.
The announcement comes as the government continues to expand educational opportunities locally and internationally, including through the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus and other overseas partnerships.
Merchant also revealed that discussions are ongoing between Antigua and Barbuda and Hangzhou Normal University on a broader memorandum of understanding that could provide additional educational assistance, including opportunities for master’s degree and MBA programmes.
He noted that the Chinese university already shares a close relationship with Antigua and Barbuda following Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s 2025 visit, during which Browne received an honorary professorship from the institution.
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GROSS CONTROVERSY:
It is unfortunate that the media is not informed by the Minister of Education that the Alibaba School of Business is not accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in the United States, the same accreditation body that claim does not accept Atlantic International University, which “they” Publicly try to name and shame by warning on Social Media that ABNAB in Antigua does not to accept degrees from.
Antigua and Barbuda National Accreditation Board (ABNAB), governed mostly by the Ministry of Education, seem to be grossly indisciplined in not responding to the requests for their acceptance for accreditation, has also failed to notify the general public that having received at least two written correspondences a few months to a year ago with no response or media announcement of their injustices to persons who likely obtained degrees from Atlantic International University also. Only now to be pushing Antiguans to study with Alibaba School of Business, governed by their CHINESE counterparts.
For public knowledge, according to research on Google AI and other sources it mentioned that Alibaba School of Business is a Chinese based school – “Alibaba Business School (ABS), established by Alibaba Group and Hangzhou Normal University (HZNU) in China, operates as a nationally recognized university department. It does not hold global “Triple Crown” business accreditations (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS), but its degrees are accredited by the Chinese Ministry of Education. The Alibaba Business School is an academic institution jointly established by the Alibaba Group and Hangzhou Normal University (HZNU) in China. Hangzhou Normal University is recognized by the Chinese Ministry of Education, but it does not hold accreditation from a CHEA-recognized U.S. accreditor.”
The Chinese really have your heads cooked. They must be helping you build your hero’s hotel that you are alleged to be in partnership with the world boss. Greed will always be your motive, no matter whose toes and fingers you all have to step on.
The double-standard is making Antiguan Government look foolish. Get it together before we mislead our children into political backlash in being impartial against an entire University (Atlantic International University) to hurt just one deserving individual whom you all are afraid would outshine you, while you huddle still in the shadows of a PM who see you as an opportunist rather than a leader. No wonder he took away Creative Industries and Carnival from you as a Minister.
It was wonderful news to find out UWI degrees would be FREE, and a Law School would be established. Makes you wonder the motive. Keep up the great works.
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