Representatives from both institutions present for the MOU signing at the University of Miami are from left Dr. Jerald Ault, Professor, UM/RSMAS; Dr. Vallierre Deleveaux, Director of Marine Science, BAMSI; Dr. Nelson Ehrhardt, Professor, UM/RSMAS; Ambassador Godfrey Eneas, President, BAMSI; Dr. Roni Avissar, Dean, UM/RSMAS; Humberto Speziani, Assistant VP of Financial Operations, UM.

On Wednesday, 2nd July, 2014 a MOU was signed between the University ofMiami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (UM/RSMAS) and The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute, Ltd (BAMSI). The MOU formalizes the collaboration efforts between to two institutions in education, research, and training. The MOU was executed during a signing ceremony held at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science on Virginia Key. Attending the signing for the University of Miami were Mr. Humberto Speziani, Assistant Vice President of Financial Operations, Dr. Roni Avissar, Dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS), Dr. Nelson Ehrhardt, Professor, RSMAS and Dr. Jerald Ault, Professor, RSMAS. Representing BAMSI were Ambassador Godfrey Eneas, President, and Dr. Vallierre Deleveaux, Director of Marine Science.

Presently the construction of the BAMSI College Campus is taking place in North Andros. The school is set to be a college institution awarding Associate of Science Degrees, Diplomas and Skills Certificates in Marine Sciences and Agriculture. The purpose of BAMSI is to establish and operate an adaptable state of the art comprehensive tutorial commercial farm, which will include crop and livestock agriculture enterprises, production of fresh fruits, condiments, fish, meat and value added processed items, primarily for the domestic market of the Bahamas.

The goal of the Institute is to demonstrate that the production of farm and fish products is financially and commercially self-sustainable.

Students will have the capability to engage in traditional learning in classrooms as well as a practical approach to build hands on learning in the agriculture and marine science areas.