News Releases

The UWI announces title of ‘Chancellor Emeritus’ for Sir George Alleyne

For Release Upon Receipt - December 7, 2017

UWI


At a meeting of its Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC) on October 30, 2017, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) conferred the title of ‘Chancellor Emeritus’ on former Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne.

Emeritus is a designation given to the former holder of an office, who having retired is allowed to retain the title, for example a University Professor.

Sir George Alleyne served as Chancellor of The UWI from 2003 to 2010 and then 2010 to 2017. His years of distinguished service in the office have left an indelible mark in the history of The UWI. In addition to his service as Chancellor, he spent a total of 23 years working at the regional University.

He was given the honorary title of Professor Emeritus after leaving The UWI in 1981 to assume the position of Chief of the Unit of Research, Promotion and Coordination in the Division of Human Resources and Research at PAHO/WHO and ascended to the position of Director of PAHO in 1995. Also a son of UWI soil, he is a proud alumnus, having graduated in 1957 as the gold medallist with the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS), from the then University College of the West Indies.

Throughout his accomplished career, Sir George has received numerous awards including prestigious decorations and national honours from many countries of the Americas. In 1990, he was made Knight Bachelor by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his services to medicine and in 2001, he was awarded the Order of the Caribbean Community, the highest honour that can be conferred on a Caribbean national.

Earlier this year, the Barbados-based Chronic Disease Research Centre, one of the lead agencies in the fight against chronic diseases, was also renamed in honour of Sir George. The acclaimed medical research unit is now called The George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre. 

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Photo caption:

Chancellor Emeritus, Sir George Alleyne.

About The UWI

Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (The 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, The 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 & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. The 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.)

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