News Releases

The UWI Mourns Passing of Honorary Graduate the Honourable G. Raymond Chang

For Release Upon Receipt - July 30, 2014

UWI


Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, E. Nigel Harris has expressed sadness at the passing of honorary graduate and outstanding business leader and philanthropist, the Honourable G. Raymond Chang.

Mr. Chang was a major donor to The UWI and a passionate advocate of continuing education and young adult learning. He served as Patron of The UWI Toronto Benefit Gala, which raised funds for university scholarships and awards to outstanding Caribbean students. He also provided significant support to the Family Medicine Postgraduate Programme offered through the Department of Community Health & Psychiatry at The UWI’s Mona Campus.

A collaboration between the Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University in Canada and The UWI’s, Mona campus facilitated the on-line delivery of the Post RN Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree which aims to upgrade the skills of nurses who already hold or are potential holders of leadership positions in the health services in the Caribbean region.

Mr. Chang was one of the leading forces behind the Caribbean Broilers (CB) Group UWI 5K Run/Walk which has to date raised some JA $28 million to fund scholarships for students who demonstrate outstanding ability in sports and academics. In May 2014, The UWI, Mona signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the CB Group and the Raymond Chang Foundation to facilitate research to support the introduction of sorghum as an ingredient of animal feed to replace, in part, imported corn in local animal feed.

In 2011 Mr. Chang was bestowed the country of his birth’s fourth highest honour, Order of Jamaica, recognising his many contributions to the country’s financial, heath, education and  cultural sectors, earning him the title the Honourable G. Raymond Chang.

In expressing condolences on behalf of The UWI, Vice-Chancellor Harris stated, “Ray has been one of those outstanding individuals who was able to combine acute intelligence, entrepreneurship, caring and humility. The UWI was fortunate to benefit from the wise counsel he offered selflessly on many occasions as well as his readiness to commit his time to accomplish tasks that he believed would accrue to the benefit of our institution.

He was a great friend whom we shall surely miss”.

About The UWI

Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with over 50,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology and Social Sciences. UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. Visit www.uwi.edu

Contact

  • Office of the Vice-Chancellor The University of the West Indies, Regional Headquarters

  • Tel.: 876-927-1600-9 Exts. 2336/2339
  • Email: vcoffice@uwimona.edu.jm