Bermudians could be offered discounted rates for studies at the University of the West Indies (UWI) as soon as next year.

The announcement was made yesterday, as Premier Ewart Brown signed a memorandum of understanding with UWI vice chancellor Nigel Harris.

Students who apply to the UWI and are sponsored through Government will receive a 15 percent discount to attend the university's three campuses in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados.

They will also have the option of taking classes online.

It is hoped the offer will be available by next year.

"We are still working out the details for students to make application to be sponsored at one of the UWI campuses, but the specifics will be available in time for the application deadline of April 2011," said Education Minister El James.

A petition by Bermuda to join the UWI family was unanimously accepted last year. In accordance with that, Bermuda students were expected to get subsidised rates once necessary legislative measures were in place honouring Government's promise to contribute to UWI revenues.

Yesterday, the official signing of the memorandum took place.

"This process began, I am told, in the early 1990s when original attempts were made to link Bermuda to the West Indies," said Mr. Harris. "However, fortunately in 2008, the process was restarted in ernest and a three-person delegation led it and came down and had initial talks."

Yesterday's ceremony was also attended by Bermuda College president Duranda Greene, Cabinet members, Bermuda Union of Teachers' general secretary Mike Charles, UWI registrar Clement Iton and UWI Open Campus principal Hazel Simmons-McDonald.

The project was started under former Education Minister Randy Horton. Mr. James said he had been "battling" for two years to see it come to fruition.

"Our relationship with [UWI] has been a long time coming but it is a very natural fit. The Government of Bermuda is indeed pleased to be entering into this partnership with [UWI].

"Having Bermuda become an associate contributing country to [UWI] adds yet another plank to this Government's commitment to improving education and educational opportunities available to our people."

The move will make a college education more accessible to Bermudians, the Education Minister added.

Becoming a part of the UWI family will allow Bermuda to:

— attend meetings of the university council and any of its sub-committees;

— attend meetings of the campus council and any of the campus council's sub-committees;

— offer government-sponsored students a 15 percent discount on the cost of tuition.

Dr. Brown said the signing of the memorandum represented the continuation of a trend started in Bermuda many years ago.

"The first school in Bermuda that was named after a black man was named after a man from Jamaica, Victor Scott.

"The young people of Bermuda should place great value on this opportunity."

Mr. Horton, Dr. Greene and then Education Permanent Secretary Radell Tankard were involved in the initial talks, Mr. Harris said.

He continued: "Some may ask what are the benefits of the membership of the UWI. The most obvious one is access to students of Bermuda to 800 undergraduate degrees and access to three campuses."

There are 16 contributing countries to the UWI and 80,000 alumni including seven sitting prime ministers.