Anyone who had not visited The University of the West Indies in the last ten years would scarcely be able to recognise the campuses, what with the infrastructural changes that have taken place. The Cave Hill Campus in Barbados has perhaps undergone the most dramatic transformation, as that campus strived to keep pace with the doubling of enrolment – from 3,233 in academic year 1996/97 to 8,248 in academic year 2006/07. Under the dynamic leadership of Principal, Pro Vice Chancellor Hilary Beckles, strategic partnerships were struck with the host Government as well as with the private sector of Barbados and the necessary funds were found to not only maximise the physical capacity of the existing campus, but to give Cave Hill a rejuvenating ‘face lift’ with the refurbishing of its signature bell tower and administrative complex, the complete overhaul of the playing fields and establishment of the 3Ws cricket complex (slated to be one of the venues for the ICC Cricket World Cup Championship).

The generous gift to the University by the Government of Barbados of 33 acres of land adjacent to the CaveHill campus has facilitated further expansion of its physical space. A visitor approaching the campus will now see a modern university complex on both sides of the Black Rock road, highlighted by the recently completed Errol Barrow Centre for the Creative Imagination, with a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea.

In the early nineties, under the headship of former Vice Chancellor, Sir Alister McIntyre, The UWI was able to achieve some of its developmental goals through predetermined strategic moves. In partnership with regional and international development agencies, including the Caribbean Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Canadian International Development Agency, capital projects were implemented University-wide. For example, the Institutional Strengthening project financed jointly by a 7-year soft loan from the IDB and CDB facilitated refurbishing of the Library, construction of an Inter-Disciplinary Programmes building, plus additions to and renovation of several buildings at Cave Hill.

At the Mona Campus in Jamaica where the student intake, since 1997, had grown from 10,574 to 14,533 the most pressing need was for an expansion of on-campus housing for students. Two completely new Halls of Residence were built in the past ten years – the A.Z. Preston Hall in 1995 with financing from the European Union to accommodate 332 students and in 2002 the Rex Nettleford Hall, housing 800 students and financed by a low-interest loan from the Jamaica National Housing Trust. The Faculty of Social Sciences, which by far attracts the largest numbers of students, was bursting at the seams. This situation was alleviated somewhat with the construction of the Mona School of Business complex, named The Sir Alister McIntyre building, in honour of former Vice Chancellor McIntyre.

The IDB/CDB Institutional Strengthening project which was aimed mainly at expanding access to degree programmes in the Pure and Applied Sciences, Engineering and Agriculture, financed the construction of a new Chemistry Lecture Theatre, study rooms, Biochemistry building, Mona Informatics building in the Science Park, the Science/Mathematics Centre, expansion of the Geography/Geology Department; also the Physics, Biology/Zoology Department, the Computer Science Centre with study areas, a Difractometer Room and renovation to several other buildings in the Pure and Applied Sciences Faculty as well as the Medical Sciences Faculty.

The St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad has undergone major infrastructural development in all areas – student amenities (including a modern cafeteria, student lounge and refurbished Health Centre), sports facilities, student residences, laboratories, lecture halls and administrative offices. The sharp increase in enrolment experienced by the other two campuses has been even more marked at St. Augustine, from 6,439 in academic year 1996/97 to 14,793 in this academic year, 2006/2007. Consequently, a number of expansion projects had to be fast-tracked to ensure for students a comfortable and modern learning environment. A three-storey extension of the Humanities and Education building provided administrative offices, a writing/computer laboratory, several classrooms as well as space for the Archaeology Unit; a new Petroleum Geoscience facility in the Faculty of Engineering added two seminar rooms, a 177-seat lecture theatre, staff offices and computer laboratories; while renovations to the Faculty of Social Sciences Administration Building created additional offices and a new area for the Summer Programme; three temporary classroom blocks – a fully equipped, air-conditioned multi-media facility with seating for 120 students in each room.

The Institute for Critical Thinking, which has greatly enhanced the intellectual offerings of the campus, has been housed in a second-floor extension of the Centre for Language Learning building. Also constructed from scratch was a three-storey Student Administration building with a unique basement level to accommodate archives and students’ records.

A state-of-the-art Sport and Physical Education Centre was completed in 2003 and a Phase II which commenced in 2004 and was recently completed, entailed the fencing of the entire Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, upgrading the cricket field and pitch to meet International Cricket Council standards and developing a modern athletics track. The tennis courts have also been upgraded with construction of new courts and a covered spectator stand, including toilet facilities and clubhouse.

There is a growing acknowledgement throughout the region of the inescapable link between development and higher education and of the joint responsibility of both the public and private sectors in preserving the tremendous investment embodied in The UWI as a regional institution of excellence. There are several additional capital projects under construction or on the drawing board, which will further expand access to higher education at The University of the West Indies on all three campuses. Funding is being sought, for example, for the construction of a Vice Chancellery Administrative complex at Mona, additional housing for staff and students and a multi-functional ‘Campus Centre’ to accommodate graduation ceremonies and convocations in addition to administrative offices.