The Island could be churning out more qualified lawyers thanks to a new degree course at Bermuda College, which starts later this year.

The Certificate in Law and Society -- offered in conjunction with the University of Kent's Law School at Canterbury -- will enable Bermudians to complete the first of three years of law training at home.

"This will be our first such coordination with an overseas institution,'' said Kent Law School professor Paddy Ireland.

"Essentially the students in Bermuda will be Kent students 3,000 miles away.'' The University of Kent ranks 47th of 97 on The Times annual League Tables.

The course will be taught by local lawyers Jerome Dill, Ian Kawaley, Tim Marshall, Venous Telford and Walton Brown and has been officially recognised by the Law Society and Bar of England and Wales.

And extensive information technology links -- including the Internet, video-conferencing and cassette-recorded lectures -- will ensure that the students receive the same level of instruction as their peers in the UK.

After the first year, students will transfer to the Kent Law School for the remaining two years.

And it is expected that most students will remain in the UK for at least another year after that to qualify for the Bar.

"The college must be a central part of education at all levels in Bermuda,'' said the college's vice president of academic and student affairs, Donald Peters.

"The programme will also make a law degree more affordable.'' The first year of the programme is estimated to cost between $6,000 and $7,000. The tuition in the UK will cost approximately 6,000 per annum plus living expenses.

Students, who have completed their English A Levels, will be able to enter the course directly. But students from local schools will be required to complete one year of an Associate Degree programme before entering the course.

"This initiative with the University of Kent is part of the Bermuda college's aggressive agenda of creating articulation agreements with at least 50 universities and colleges overseas before the year 2000,'' a college spokesman said.

"Articulation agreements with these overseas institutions are critical in order to facilitate the seamless transfer of our students overseas.'' The college has already formed a relationship with the University of Plymouth and has now initiated negotiations with the University of Manchester in the hope of an articulation agreement. There are already several such links in place with American and Canadian universities.

Meanwhile, there are still plans to make Bermuda College a four-year institution in areas such as Hospitality Administration and International Business -- but not law.

An information session will be held later this month to generate public interest and students will be encouraged to enrol this summer.

For more information contact the college Admissions Office on 239-4048.

Finishing touches: Paddy Ireland, of Kent Law School, the Bermuda College's vice president of academic and student affairs Dr. Donald Peters, and Mr. John Gibbs, also from Kent, discuss details of the universities' new joint law programme.