News Releases

UWI Announces Appointment of New and Returning Faculty Deans

For Release Upon Receipt - July 21, 2025

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, West Indies. Friday, July 18, 2025—The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has announced the appointment of eight Faculty Deans across its campuses, following approvals granted by the University Council at its annual business meeting in May, and by the Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GPC) on Friday, July 11. Five new appointments and three reappointments will take effect from August 1, 2025.

 Faculty Deans play a pivotal role in shaping the academic and administrative direction of their respective faculties, overseeing financial affairs, contributing to policy development, and engaging with a wide range of campus and external stakeholders. These appointments reflect The UWI’s commitment to academic excellence, leadership continuity, and regional development.

 New Appointments

Professor Joseph Plummer has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Mona Campus. A Professor of General and Colorectal Surgery, Professor Plummer is widely respected for his surgical expertise and contributions to medical education. He introduced video endoscopy to the general surgical service at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), Kingston Jamaica and has played a central role in postgraduate training through the UWI/University of Toronto surgical resident exchange programme. An American College of Surgeons International Scholar, he also serves on various academic boards and examination committees across the faculty.

 Professor Adesh Ramsubhag will serve as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, St. Augustine Campus. A microbiologist by training, Professor Ramsubhag is a recipient of UWI’s most prestigious research awards, including the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research (2019) and the Principal’s Best Researcher Award (2024). His contributions to the development of microbiology and biotechnology programmes at St. Augustine Campus have been substantial, and he has held leadership roles including Head of the Department of Life Sciences, and Chair of the University Library Advisory Committee.

 Dr Roy McCree has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Sport, Vice-Chancellery for a three-year term leading up to his retirement. A pioneer in the field of Sport Sociology in the Caribbean, Dr McCree introduced the region’s first courses in the Sociology of Sport in Caribbean (offered as BSc Sport Management), and in Sport and Public policy (offered as MSc Sport Management). His teaching and research have significantly influenced the development of sport as an academic and professional discipline.

 Dr Henderson Carter will assume the role of Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education, Cave Hill Campus. A historian and advocate for heritage preservation, Dr Carter sits on several landmark Barbadian government committees and frequently advises national and regional bodies on historical and cultural matters. He has served two terms as Head of the Department of History and Philosophy and chaired both the Cave Hill 60th Anniversary Committee, and the Campus 75th UWI Anniversary Committee.

 Dr Deon Edwards-Kerr has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education, Mona Campus. With over 14 years of experience in education policy, research, and curriculum development, she has contributed to regional frameworks on inclusive and special education and has played a leadership role in research mobilisation within the faculty. Dr Edwards-Kerr previously served as Deputy Dean, Research and Resource Mobilization, and is an active member of both the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) Research Advisory Committee (RAC), and the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

 Returning Deans

Dr Jeanese Badenock has been reappointed Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Cave Hill Campus for a second term. She has overseen several innovative initiatives, including the establishment of the Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) and the launch of NEXA, a research and innovation centre focused on artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, and advanced manufacturing.

 Professor Mark Wuddivira will continue as Dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture, St Augustine Campus. He has led efforts to reposition the faculty as a leading institution in agriculture, particularly during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. His leadership has contributed significantly to stakeholder engagement and programme revitalisation.

 Dr Antonius Hippolyte will continue as Interim Dean of the Faculty of Law, Cave Hill Campus. A champion of legal research and publication, Dr Hippolyte has successfully revived the Caribbean Law Review—the faculty’s flagship journal—which had been dormant for 15 years. He also coordinated the implementation of a double master’s degree programme in collaboration with the University of Dayton School of Law.

 These appointments are effective from August 1, 2025.

 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: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global 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. In 2024, The UWI launched a first-of-its-kind global online graduate business school focused on leadership within the context of supporting the SDGs.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu  

 

 

 

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