A little more than 50 years ago, Bermuda College opened its doors with a vision to transform lives through education.

Today, that vision remains not only intact but thriving, evolving to meet the needs of a new generation of learners and a rapidly changing Bermuda.

This year, our Autumn 2025 enrolment numbers offer a powerful affirmation of that legacy. For the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have surpassed 590 students — a 5 per cent rise over the previous year.

Just as encouraging is the 10 per cent increase in full-time equivalent students, reflecting stronger engagement and commitment from our learners.

But this moment is about more than just numbers. It’s about what they represent: a resurgence of confidence in Bermuda College as the first choice for academic excellence, skills development and career preparation.

These gains are particularly meaningful when considered against Bermuda’s demographic realities — a declining birthrate, an ageing population and emigration. In many other places, these factors would spell decline.

But at Bermuda College, we are seeing the opposite. We are gaining ground.

Our Applied Technical Education division grew by 31 per cent, the strongest of any department, showing that students are recognising the real-world value of trades education.

Business, hospitality and health programmes are also drawing strong enrolment and improving retention, underscoring our relevance to both student aspirations and national workforce needs.

Equally striking is the age diversity in our classrooms. Bermuda College is not only for those just out of high school, but also it’s a place for people returning to upgrade their skills, pivot their careers or simply to learn.

Whether 18 or 68, our students are united by a common goal: to better themselves and contribute meaningfully to their island.

This growth has not happened by chance. It reflects a deliberate strategy, one rooted in expanding partnerships, refining academic pathways and investing in student success.

We now have more than 40 articulation agreements with institutions across the United States, Britain, Canada and the Caribbean, allowing our students to start here and go anywhere. These agreements ensure that a degree from Bermuda College is not a destination; it is a launch pad.

Our forthcoming 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, which is in the final stages of development, will build on this momentum. It is designed to not only sustain growth, but to lead it.

We are embracing digital innovation to modernise curriculum delivery, improving our internal processes to make the student journey smoother, and strengthening links with industry to ensure our programmes remain relevant and job-ready.

Crucially, we are developing a data-informed enrolment management plan to enhance recruitment and retention. These efforts are helping us to reach students who might not have seen themselves in higher education, but who thrive with the right support.

It is here that I must also thank each and every member of staff at Bermuda College for their exemplary leadership, commitment and hard work. And I mean every member of staff, plus the Board of Governors, as without a collective effort the college would not be what it is today.

As we look ahead, our commitment is unwavering: to be bold, adaptive and community-driven.

Our accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education — the same body that accredits Harvard and MIT — affirms our high standards. But it is our graduates who truly tell the story. They are Rhodes Scholars, senior government officials, entrepreneurs, judges, engineers, healthcare professionals, and so much more.

They are proof that when Bermuda College rises, so do our students. And when they rise, so does Bermuda.

We do not take this responsibility lightly. In the next 50 years, we aim to deepen our impact, expand our reach and ensure that every Bermudian sees Bermuda College as a gateway to success — however they define it.

Because this institution has never been about standing still. It’s about moving forward, together.

• David Sam, PhD is the president of Bermuda College