News Releases

UWI consolidates at the top

For Release Upon Receipt - July 26, 2022

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Tuesday, July 26, 2022—The University of the West Indies (The UWI) continues its trajectory among the top universities internationally.  In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic’s challenges upon management operations and financial outlook, The UWI continues to prove its academic excellence and global competitiveness by consolidating its position among the best ranked institutions. This much was confirmed by a recent report from Times Higher Education (THE), the most prestigious university ranking system. 

The Latin America Universities Rankings 2022 table published on July 14 by THE shows The UWI consolidating its leading position among the best. It remains the #1 ranked Caribbean university and has maintained its excellent position within the top 1% of Latin America’s finest. 

In 2018, The UWI debuted in THE’s Latin America University Rankings category; then, 177 universities were ranked having met eligibility criteria from a recognised field of near 2,000. The UWI’s inaugural ranked position was #37. In 2022, The UWI consolidated its elite position at #21 although the number of universities ranked by THE has since increased to 197. The number of officially recognised higher education institutions in Latin America remains estimated at over 1,800. 

This excellent performance by The UWI illustrates the continued rise of its international recognition and reputation—a core objective pursued by management in the academy’s five-year Strategic Plan for 2017-2022. 

Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, commenting on the latest Times Higher Education report stated, “The people of the Caribbean are deserving of a first-class, respected university and this is precisely what we are committed to achieving and sustaining. We are intellectually focused, strategic in our choices and actions, and not distracted in any way. These excellent results are the outcomes of the sustained, smart work of our academics and administrators, students and service providers.” 

In THE’s assessment methodology there are five performance areas: Teaching, Research, International Outlook, Industry Income and Research Citations. The UWI scored its most spectacular outcome in the area of Citations of its research publications. In this key area, also identified as research influence, it is ranked #3 out of the 197 best universities, surpassing 18 of the universities ahead of it in final rankings. 

“This extraordinary result is a tribute to The UWI’s scholars”, the Vice-Chancellor noted, “…and reflects the very healthy state of intellectualism within the University, and the commitment to publishing globally respected and relevant research.” 

End. 

Note to the Editor

The complete 2022 Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings can be accessed here.

About The University of the West Indies

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.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading 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.

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