News Releases

UWI promotes evidence informed policymaking in Social Sector Ministries

For Release Upon Receipt - January 31, 2023

St. Augustine


The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago. Tuesday, January 31, 2023– The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CCHSRD), has been working with four social sector Ministries to strengthen their capacities to incorporate evidence and stakeholder views into their decision-making processes. This initiative was timely as it addressed a transformational change identified as critical in the Trinidad and Tobago Government’s National Development Strategy - Vision 2030 i.e., the need for more evidenced-based decision making to attain value for money and reduce the negative impact of costly, ad hoc reactionary policy decisions.  

 One of the outcomes of the project will be the co-creation of evidence briefs to address the following priority problems that required policy action:

 Ministry of Labour: “Unfilled Demand for Labour and Skills Gaps in the Civil Service in Trinidad and Tobago”

 Ministry of Social Development and Family Service: “Key Strategies/ Interventions to Address the “Dependency Syndrome” on the State’s Social Welfare System in Trinidad and Tobago”

 Ministry of Planning and Development: “Key Strategies/ Interventions to Address or Improve the Underperformance of Males in the Education System in Trinidad and Tobago.

 Ministry of Sport and Community Development: “Facilitating Sustainable Communities in Trinidad and Tobago with an Emphasis on Community Based Participatory Approaches”

 On Thursday, February 9, 2023, CCHSRD will host a culmination event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from 10:00 a.m. at which participating Ministries will share experiences as well as knowledge and skills acquired.

 The event, which will also feature an awards ceremony, will be attended by senior officials from Ministries - Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, and Directors/Heads of Departments. The UWI St. Augustine Deputy Campus Principal, Professor Indar Ramnarine, and Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Professor Terence Seemungal will deliver remarks.

The collaboration was made possible through the Partnership for Evidence and Equity in Responsive Social Systems (PEERSS) project and was funded by the International Development Research Centre.

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 for the past 75 years.

 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: Monain Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hillin Barbados, Five IslandsinAntigua and Barbuda and itsOpen Campus, and 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). 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 in the World University Rankings, 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.

 2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

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