News Releases

Vice-Chancellor’s Forum to discuss The UWI Becoming a World Class University

For Release Upon Receipt - September 20, 2022

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Tuesday, September 20, 2022. The Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) celebrates 30 years of contributions to faculty development with a Vice-Chancellor’s Forum. The Forum brings together a panel of experts in faculty and educational development to examine the strategic role of faculty development in the University for effective and outstanding teaching. 

Themed, Becoming a World Class University: The Contributions of Faculty Development, the event will be streamed live via UWItv on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 3:00 pm EC/2:00 pm JA. Interested persons are invited to tune in and participate at www.uwitv.org  or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/uwitv. 

This Vice-Chancellor’s Forum, a fitting tribute to the work undertaken by the CETLs, underscores The UWI’s world-class university status while exploring teaching and learning in a rapidly changing world. 

The Forum will feature remarks by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and presentations by Dr Sylvia Henry, Director, CETL, Cave Hill Campus; Dr Leroy Hill, Director, CETL, St Augustine Campus, Mrs Michelle Stewart-McKoy, Faculty/ Educational Developer, CETL Mona Campus, and Professor Jayne McGuire, Visiting Fulbright Scholar and International Expert on Universal Design. The Mona Campus plays a lead coordinating role in the proceedings. Professor Dale Webber, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Mr Damian Facey, Administrative Assistant, CETL, Mona Campus and Dr Mervin E. Chisholm, Manager, CETL Mona Campus are all slated to bring remarks. Dr Charmaine McKenzie, Coordinator, Campus Office of Online Learning at The UWI Mona Campus will serve as Chair of the proceedings and moderator of the panel discussion. 

According to Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr Mervin E. Chisholm, Manager, CETL Mona, “Faculty play very important roles in the life of the academy. They are the movers and shakers in universities, and contribute in enormous ways to making universities world-class institutions of higher learning.  Clearly their quality affects universities in far-reaching ways. In attaining the status of a world-class university, the professional development of faculty must be prioritised. The UWI responded to the need for more focused faculty development, and established the CETL (then known as the Staff Development Unit) in 1992 at the Mona Campus. It is fair to say that the introduction of the teaching and learning centre at The UWI was a visible and tangible statement of the university’s commitment to improving teaching.” 

He continued, “While celebrating 30 years of faculty development at The UWI, this milestone is also an opportunity to retrospectively look at faculty development and then determine the prospective focus and activities for the CETLs as they have now emerged as mature centres and continue to serve this academic community.”

END

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 20 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.

 

Contact