WILLEMSTAD – The University of Curaçao (UoC) has announced plans for a knowledge mission to Silicon Valley in April 2026, bringing together leaders from business, government, and knowledge institutions. The mission will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on Curaçao’s economy.
“We must realize that AI will have a major impact on several of our economically valuable sectors,” said UoC Rector Magnificus, Dr. Stella van Rijn. “Much of the work in the financial sector and other data-intensive organizations can be done far more quickly with AI. The question is, what do we do with that freed-up brainpower—does Curaçao risk losing high-value jobs, or can we put that capacity to use in new ways?”
Broad support for the initiative
Conversations with stakeholders across different industries have revealed strong interest in the mission. The UoC has already launched a pre-registration site at www.uoc.cw/ai-missie to gauge concrete participation.
The General Pension Fund of Curaçao (APC) has expressed its support and willingness to join. “It sends an important signal that an organization like APC recognizes the significance of this,” Van Rijn noted.
Inspired by Silicon Valley
The idea was sparked during the opening of the 2025–2026 academic year, where keynote speaker Michael Dooijes delivered an address titled “Island of possibilities: reimagining Curaçao’s future in the age of AI.”
Dooijes, who previously spent six years at the Kingdom’s Consulate-General in San Francisco, has extensive experience connecting Dutch start-ups and scale-ups with U.S. investors and building networks with leading companies in innovation and AI.
Strategic knowledge and global connections
Van Rijn stressed the importance of Curaçao’s leaders gaining direct knowledge at the executive level: “We must ensure that key players in our sectors understand firsthand what is happening, so we are not dependent on what others come to tell us.”
The trip will include meetings with major players in Silicon Valley, including Berkeley and Stanford universities. According to Van Rijn, this will add value to existing AI initiatives on the island and strengthen them further.
Link to UNESCO report and national strategy
The mission builds on findings from the UNESCO AI Readiness Assessment, published last week, to which the UoC contributed. It also aligns with Curaçao’s national export strategy and supports efforts to develop the IT sector into a future export industry.
