News Releases

UWI signs MoU for Strategic Partnership with COTT

For Release Upon Receipt - December 1, 2014

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – “History was made” last Friday, November 28, as The University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT). This, according to UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Clement Sankat, who noted that the signing of the MoU was the product of a 5-year relationship between both entities. The signing took place at the Office of the Campus Principal on the Campus. Professor Sankat signed the MoU on behalf of The UWI while COTT CEO, Mr. Josh Rudder, represented COTT.

The UWI and COTT have agreed to enter into the Memorandum for the development of a strategic partnership, and commence on a non-profit project to enhance the earning and building capacity of both entities through organizational development and sustainability.  

Through the strategic partnership, The UWI will take responsibility for supporting COTT to raise public awareness through co-hosting relevant conferences and symposia; providing technical expertise and assistance to COTT via research, internships, and consulting services; providing COTT with access to UWI facilities for events and forums and working with COTT to develop and conduct training and outreach programmes in matters related to copyright, intellectual property and related areas. 

In turn, COTT will be responsible for commissioning research and/or technical services from The UWI to support its services, outreach and public awareness; providing access to data for UWI researchers and creating internships; in addition to partnering on annual symposiums and other events and forums; and ensuring all third parties renting or utilising UWI facilities for private events using copyrighted music provide proof of obtaining the necessary COTT license. 

The collaborative effort is built on a foundation of Intellectual Property and Creative Industries education and awareness. The partnership will include input from The UWI’s Faculty of Law, Department of Creative and Festival Arts and Office of Institutional Advancement and Internationalisation. These departments were represented by  Head of the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, Mr. Jessel Murray; Director of the Office of Institutional Advancement and Internationalisation, Mr. Sharan Singh; and Campus Legal Officer, Ms. Camille Ramcharan. 

End 

About the Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT)  

The Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) is a non-profit organization incorporated under the Copyright Act 1997 of Trinidad and Tobago. COTT manage and licenses collectively on behalf of music creators and their publishers as well as international affiliates, the performing and preproduction rights in their copyrighted music.  

More: http://www.cott.org.tt/  

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 well over 40,000 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. Website: www.uwi.edu 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

 

 

Contact