Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – June 21, 2025 – Dr. Gale Rigobert is set to conclude her tenure as Dean of Academics at the University of St. Martin (USM) on June 23, 2025, after nearly two years of transformative leadership and academic innovation. Her time at the university has been marked by a bold reimagining of USM’s academic direction, renewed institutional visibility, and a clear emphasis on future-ready learning.
Appointed in 2023, Dr. Rigobert brought a wealth of experience as a former Saint Lucian Minister of Education and an internationally recognized scholar in education reform, development policy, and technology integration. Her leadership was instrumental in reimagining academic life at USM, with reforms that aligned curriculum offerings to labor market needs and elevated the university’s profile in the Caribbean and beyond.
Among her signature initiatives was the introduction of a co-curricular credit policy, set to launch in 2026, which promotes holistic student development and prepares graduates for real-world challenges. She also led efforts to enhance institutional quality assurance, championed curriculum innovation, and deepened USM’s role in public policy discourse through lectures and symposiums engaging NGOs, scholars, students, and regional policymakers.
A major highlight of her tenure was the Creative Industries Symposium, hosted by USM on June 7, 2025. Themed “Exploring the Orange Economy: Creative Industries, Film & TV, Sustainability, Education,” the event attracted experts and stakeholders from Africa, Australia, Dubai, CARICOM, the UK, and Europe. Through dynamic discussions on cultural entrepreneurship, film production, intellectual property, and educational innovation, the symposium positioned USM as a key convenor of international dialogue on creative economies in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Dr. Rigobert also spearheaded USM’s strategic embrace of artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and sustainability, advocating for their integration across academic programs. Her tenure is widely credited with reinvigorating USM’s institutional culture, infusing it with purpose, professionalism, and ambition.
Reflecting on her departure, Dr. Rigobert remarked, “I remain proud of what we have accomplished together. USM has proven that even small institutions can punch above their weight when there is shared vision and collective will.”
When asked about her next steps, she smiled and replied, “#DoingMe.” The distinguished international relations scholar now plans to focus on consultancy and research in gender equity, sustainability, digital policy, and education reform across SIDS—while also enjoying a slower pace of life and tending to her plants.
Dr. Rigobert departs having strengthened USM’s visibility, relevance, and capacity to contribute meaningfully to national and regional development.
