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July 2013
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So, on that sunny Saturday in July, in one of the oldest wooden buildings in the country, this mix of senior diplomats and academic leaders relaxed in an informal atmosphere over a sumptuous local meal whilst they chatted about a broad range of contemporary matters. There was laughter, exchange of information and, at the end, a keen interest on the part of those present to build upon the existing relationships to develop new international partnerships, research projects, scholarships and other forms of collaboration. Chairing the event was Sharan Chandradath Singh, UWI Director at the Office of Institutional Advancement and Internationalisation, who has played a central role in developing the increased engagement between the Campus and the Diplomatic and Consular Corps as well as international agencies. Professor Clement Sankat spoke on UWI’s unique strengths and areas of research while Frances Seignoret, Director of the Europe Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a UWI alumna, brought greetings on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Some unique ideas emerged from the fruitful discussions including opportunities for increased language training at a national level, sharing of critical information between both sectors and ideas for new collaborations focussed on capacity development locally as well as across the Caribbean region. Carded to be a regular event on the calendar of the Campus, this Heads of Missions Brunch demonstrated the effectiveness of The UWI’s significant collaborations with this important and committed group of international leaders and it provided a renewed energy and focus on the significant potential for international collaboration to make meaningful local impact.
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