University of St. Martin helps lead drive to improve research and digital skills

GREAT BAY--The University of St. Martin (USM) is playing a central role in a regional initiative aimed at improving how research information is collected, protected and shared across the Dutch Caribbean, as universities in St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao strengthen cooperation to address gaps in digital skills and access to information.

The initiative, known as the Dutch Caribbean Digital Competence Network (DCDC), brings together the three universities, with the Instituto Pedagogico Arubano participating as an associated partner. Its activities also extend to Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, creating opportunities for researchers, educational institutions, government departments and other organizations throughout the six islands to benefit from shared knowledge and training.

The network is preparing to hold its official kick-off conference at the University of Aruba from November 10 to 12, 2026. The three-day gathering will bring together researchers, educators and professionals to establish priorities for future cooperation, identify training needs and determine how participating institutions can improve their management and use of research information.

Established in 2025 with funding from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) through its Open Science NL program, the network seeks to address a longstanding problem in the region: valuable research and institutional information is often held by separate organizations, making it difficult for others to locate, study or use the material. In some cases, research conducted on one island may be useful to institutions elsewhere in the Caribbean, but differences in recordkeeping, digital systems and access arrangements can prevent that information from being shared effectively.

The initiative promotes a more coordinated approach that would allow researchers to make better use of existing information while ensuring that sensitive records and personal data remain protected. It also aims to strengthen the ability of Caribbean institutions to conduct and manage their own research rather than depending heavily on outside organizations and costly commercial software.

St. Maarten Already Identifying Local Priorities

St. Maarten's participation goes beyond its university's membership in the regional network. From September 28 to October 2, the University of St. Martin hosted a working visit by DCDC Network Administrator Rendell de Kort, during which discussions were held with representatives from educational institutions, government departments, civil society and the private sector.

The visit was coordinated locally by Raymond Jessurun, USM's Research Coordinator and the DCDC Network's representative for St. Maarten. Its purpose was to determine how organizations on the island currently collect, manage and protect information, as well as identify the training and technical assistance needed to improve those processes.

Discussions at USM focused on strengthening research support, digital infrastructure, library services and information management. The university is expected to serve as the institutional base for St. Maarten's participation in the network, helping connect researchers, students and other professionals with regional training and information-sharing opportunities.

The working visit also examined issues affecting public institutions, including the management of government records, access to statistics, protection of personal information and the preservation of historical documents. Among the institutions invited to participate were the Civil Registry and Census Office, the Department of Statistics, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, SZV, the Social Economic Council, the Electoral Council and the Central Voting Bureau.

One area of particular interest involved the preservation and digitization of historical records, including documents that could assist families and researchers in tracing ancestry and understanding the island's history. Participants examined the challenges associated with converting older records into digital formats while ensuring that privacy, ownership and long-term preservation requirements are properly addressed.

The discussions also considered St. Maarten's vulnerability to hurricanes and other emergencies. Reliable digital storage and backup systems were identified as important for protecting institutional information and ensuring that government departments and other organizations can continue functioning following a disaster.

Another possibility discussed during the visit was the establishment of a regional working group focusing on electoral information. Such an initiative could explore ways to improve the collection, preservation and accessibility of election-related data for research and public understanding. The proposal remains under consideration and is expected to receive further attention during the regional conference in Aruba.

Making Research More Accessible

A central objective of the initiative is to encourage research institutions to follow internationally recognized FAIR principles, which require information to be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.

In practical terms, this means ensuring that research information is properly organized, can be located by other researchers and is stored in formats that allow it to be used across different computer systems. For example, research findings concerning education, public health, economic development or environmental conditions could become more useful if institutions across the islands can locate and compare relevant information.

The approach does not mean that all government or research information would automatically become public. The network recognizes that personal, confidential and sensitive information must remain protected, with appropriate safeguards governing who can access and use particular records.

Artificial intelligence is also expected to feature in the network's activities, particularly as researchers increasingly use technology to analyze information and identify patterns. The initiative aims to help institutions understand both the opportunities and responsibilities associated with these tools, including questions surrounding data accuracy, privacy and responsible use.

Reducing Costs Through Free Digital Training

Another component of the regional cooperation involves providing training in free and open-source computer programs, reducing the financial burden on universities and smaller research institutions that may struggle to afford commercial software licences.

The network has already begun offering practical training. In April 2026, the University of Aruba hosted a course introducing researchers to R, a free statistical analysis program that can be used as an alternative to commercial software such as SPSS. The two-day training attracted 25 participants. A similar course was subsequently offered at the University of Curaçao in September.

By developing shared courses, training materials and technical resources, the participating institutions hope to expand access to digital education without requiring each island to independently develop the same programs.

These opportunities could also benefit St. Maarten students, teachers, public servants and professionals seeking to improve their ability to analyze information, manage digital records or conduct research. The network has emphasized that participation is not limited to university researchers, but is intended to include community organizations, businesses, librarians and others who work with information.

Regional Conference to Establish Next Steps

The November conference in Aruba will provide an opportunity to translate the work already undertaken into a more coordinated regional action plan. The opening session on November 10 will include discussions on artificial intelligence, privacy and information sharing between government organizations, while the following two days will focus on practical workshops and identifying future training priorities.

Participants will also examine subjects such as digital research tools, historical family records, election data and methods of making existing information easier to locate and use. The conference is expected to conclude with a preliminary training plan reflecting priorities identified by participating institutions.

The network is coordinated by Esther Plomp of the University of Aruba Research Center, with Rendell de Kort responsible for network administration. Marjorie Alfonso serves as the local coordinator for Curaçao, while Jessurun represents St. Maarten through USM.

For St. Maarten, the collaboration presents an opportunity to strengthen the university's research activities while supporting improvements in how information is managed across government, education and other sectors.

It also provides a platform for addressing issues that have become increasingly important as institutions move toward digital systems, including the preservation of historical records, protection of personal information, access to reliable statistics and the development of technical skills.

As the six islands work toward closer cooperation, the initiative could help create a more connected regional research environment in which information and expertise are shared more effectively, allowing Caribbean institutions to make greater use of the knowledge already available within their own communities.

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