As Jamaica continues to incorporate more sustainable approaches into its built environment processes, the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Jamaica) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) have entered into a landmark partnership to advance urban development and strengthen municipal capacity.
Both entities on Friday, March 27, 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework for collaborative initiatives in research, technical assistance, staff training, and student engagement. The MOU was officially signed during a ceremony at the KSAMC Head Office in downtown Kingston.
Under the four-year agreement, a Joint Collaboration Committee will be established to guide the implementation of key initiatives, including professional development training in ethics, planning laws, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and nature-based solutions, as well as joint research initiatives and post-training impact assessments. This structured oversight is intended to ensure that all initiatives are practical, measurable, and fully aligned with Jamaica’s national development priorities.
Underscoring the national significance of the partnership, Dr. Kevin Brown, President, UTech, Jamaica, noted that solving modern urban planning challenges requires meaningful partnerships between government and academia.
“Through this partnership, we affirm that the complex challenges facing modern cities require collaboration between municipal authorities and institutions of higher learning. No single institution can address these challenges alone. Progress depends on shared knowledge, shared responsibility, and shared commitment,” Dr. Brown stated.
He also highlighted the university’s commitment to positively impacting national development.
“Universities exist to solve societal problems, not just to produce graduates,” he said, adding, “We want to ensure that we are participating in impactful projects that are affecting the citizens within this constituency.”
Dr. Brown further revealed that UTech, Jamaica will be launching a pilot skills training programme in drone technology and invited the KSAMC to consider training opportunities for individuals in its land and geospatial departments.
“We are about to launch, for example, a drone pilot training programme, and I would imagine that the KSAMC in your land department or your geospatial department wants to now start using drones to scan and map Kingston and St. Andrew, so I look forward to seeing you on that course,” Dr. Brown said.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Mayor of Kingston and St. Andrew, His Worship Councillor Andrew Swaby, described the MOU as a transformative step in municipal governance.
“This occasion represents more than the formalisation of a partnership; it signals a deliberate step forward in how we govern, how we build capacity and ultimately how we serve the people of Kingston and St. Andrew,” Mayor Swaby stated.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening institutional capacity and embracing innovation, Mayor Swaby indicated:
“Through this partnership with UTech, we are making a strategic investment in people, in knowledge and the future of municipal governance.”
He added that the engagement will also boost accountability in the nation’s building processes, allowing for greater evidence-based decision-making.
“This partnership brings with it a level of academic rigour and independent analysis that is essential in today’s governance environment…ensuring that our policies and practices are informed by evidence and best practices, not assumptions,” the Mayor said.
The partnership was initiated by the Faculty of The Built Environment at the University of Technology, Jamaica. Co-initiator, Professor Carol Archer, Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy, Faculty of the Built Environment, providing insight into the genesis of the collaboration, explained that the MoU was initiated to formalize the university’s longstanding relationship with the KSAMC. This collaboration has included sustained engagement across communities such as Papine, Tivoli Gardens, Majesty Gardens, and Port Royal, where both organisations have already been engaged in planning and development work.
“The relationship has been a long and very strong one…we have been working with the KSAMC and other municipalities throughout Jamaica,” Professor Archer said.
She noted that each year the KSAMC accommodates at least five UTech interns from the Faculty of The Built Environment. She has also been invited by the Corporation on several occasions to deliver ethics training for KSAMC staff and the wider local government sector. Professor Archer further explained that ongoing discussions with the KSAMC have focused on urban planning matters, including the development of the Papine Market and the transformation of Papine into a university town. The faculty is also working with the Corporation to advise on the implementation of recommendations made by consultants in development projects, including identifying specific training needs.
Professor Archer also told the gathering of KSAMC councillors and members of the leadership teams from both entities, that “This is an indication of what is to come for other municipalities, because we have actually had a longstanding relationship with the Ministry of Local Government…we are in train to deliver the next round of building code training at some point in June.”
The MOU provides a wide scope for collaboration on development initiatives. The next major undertaking will be the joint hosting of the Caribbean Urban Forum (CUF) – a major annual conference focused on urban planning, land management, and sustainable development in the Caribbean region, bringing together practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. The 15th Annual Caribbean Urban Forum (2026) will be held in Kingston, Jamaica, from June 17–19, 2026, under the theme “Rethinking Resilience and Recovery.” Prof. Archer noted that based on the ongoing collaboration between UTech, Jamaica and the KSAMC, the Under-Secretary of UN-Habitat has agreed to serve as the keynote speaker, strengthening the positioning of the forum as a high-level international event.
Dr. Laurence Neufville, Dean, Faculty of The Built Environment, UTech, Jamaica, highlighted the academic and practical significance of the collaboration.
“We gather here today not merely for the signing of a document but to fortify a bridge—one that connects the classroom to the city, academic theory to municipal reality and innovation to implementation.”
Dr. Neufville also noted that the partnership provides continuous opportunities for students to gain experiential learning.
“Our students in architecture, urban planning, regional planning, land surveying and geographic information systems, quantity surveying and structural management no longer study the challenges of a city from afar; instead, through internships, technical attachments and ongoing engagement, they have become active participants in shaping solutions, contributing fresh ideas while gaining invaluable and specialised experiences.”
Closing the ceremony, Mr. Robert Hill, Chief Executive Officer of KSAMC, expressed confidence in the long-term impact of the partnership.
“This is going to be something that is for the ages,” he said, adding that it will position Kingston and St. Andrew to set the pace and be recognised as a point of reference in sustainable urban development planning and governance.
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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: (876) 970-5299 Ext: 2299
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm
