News Releases

UWI St. Augustine Alumna New Vice-Chancellor Victoria University, Canada

For Release Upon Receipt - April 11, 2022

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago.  Monday 11 April, 2022 – The St. Augustine Campus Community is celebrating the achievement of a daughter of the soil and an Honours graduate of their campus. Trinidad and Tobago born Dr. Rhonda McEwen has been appointed president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto. She will be the 14th president and vice-chancellor of one of Canada’s oldest universities when her 5-year tenure begins on July 1, 2022. 

She completed her Bachelor of Science degree, with First Class Honours, in sociology and management at The University of West Indies, St. Augustine (UWI) and went on to obtain an MBA in IT from City, University of London, England; an MSc in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado; and a PhD in Information from University of Toronto. 

 “Graduates of The University of the West Indies can be found across the world and at the highest levels in academia and the professions. Dr McEwen’s success at our Campus foretold the great things to come. On behalf of the St. Augustine Campus, I congratulate her on the latest in her many successes”, said Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Brian Copeland. 

Dr. McEwen is Canada Research Chair in Tactile Interfaces, Communication and Cognition and a Professor of Emerging Media & Communication. She is currently Vice-Principal Academic and Dean at the University of Toronto Mississauga, and a faculty member at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information, and Technology. Her particular areas of focus are Human-Machine Communication; Cognitive Effects of Media; Tactile Interfaces; Tablet Communication; Cognitive Informatics; Device Mediation; and Virtual Reality. 

-END- 

Photo Caption: President and Vice-Chancellor of Toronto University, Dr. Rhonda McEwen

Credit – University of Toronto

Photographer – Nick Iwanyshyn

 

About The UWI 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region. 

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world. 

Ranked among the top universities in the world, by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. In 2020, it earned ‘Triple 1st’ rankings—topping the Caribbean; and in the top in the tables for Latin America and the Caribbean, and global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the top universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

For more, visit 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