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UWI Actuarial Science Lecturer Earns Royal Statistical Society’s Highest Professional Recognition

For Release Upon Receipt - October 8, 2026

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – October 8, 2026  – The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus has enhanced the range of internationally accredited professional expertise available to students, researchers and partners through its Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Lecturer in Actuarial Science, Mr. Brendon Bhagwandeen, has been awarded Chartered Statistician (CStat) status by the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), United Kingdom, the Society’s highest professional award in statistics.

Described by the RSS as the gold standard of professional recognition in statistics, Chartered Statistician status recognises experienced professionals who have demonstrated advanced statistical expertise, sound professional judgement and a sustained commitment to high standards of statistical practice. Bhagwandeen’s achievement places him within a relatively small international community of professionals to have attained the designation.

CStat is awarded following a rigorous, peer-reviewed and evidence-based assessment of professional competence. Applicants are expected to demonstrate substantial professional statistical experience, including the application of advanced statistical methods, independent professional judgement, responsibility for statistical work and its outcomes, effective communication, adherence to ethical and professional standards, and a commitment to continuing professional development.

Professor Sreedhara Rao Gunakala, Head, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, said the designation provides external professional validation of the calibre of expertise being brought into The UWI’s teaching and research environment.

“Brendon’s achievement is particularly significant because Chartered Statistician status recognises much more than academic knowledge. It speaks to demonstrated professional competence, judgement, ethical practice and the ability to apply statistical expertise to real-world problems. Having that level of professional expertise within our Actuarial Science programme strengthens the experience we can provide to our students and collaborators, and contributes to the Department’s capacity in teaching, research and applied statistical practice.”

Bhagwandeen said the designation represents an important milestone in his professional development and reinforces the responsibility that accompanies professional recognition in a field increasingly central to decision-making across industries.

“I am honoured to have been awarded Chartered Statistician status by the Royal Statistical Society. For me, the designation represents not simply professional recognition, but a commitment to maintaining high standards in the way statistical methods are applied, interpreted and communicated. I look forward to bringing that perspective into my teaching, research and professional practice and, particularly, to helping prepare our students to apply quantitative expertise with the rigour and judgement their professions demand.”

The achievement adds to an established tradition of RSS-recognised professional expertise at The UWI. Professor Donald Simeon, Retired Professor of Biostatistics and Director of the Caribbean Centre for Health Systems Research and Development, is also a Chartered Statistician and currently serves as a member of the Council of the Royal Statistical Society.

Founded in 1834, the Royal Statistical Society is an international learned society and professional body for statistics and data, with membership spanning academia, government, industry and other sectors.

Bhagwandeen’s CStat designation further strengthens The UWI’s internationally recognised expertise in statistics and quantitative disciplines and its capacity to contribute to statistical education, research and applied practice in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and internationally.

 

END

Notes to Editor:

Photo Caption: Mr. Brendon Bhagwandeen delivers a presentation at a Royal Statistical Society conference.

 

About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region. Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts 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, along with international centres in partnership with universities across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The UWI offers over 1000 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 leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world.

Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE's prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This recognition has also spring boarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISDJ), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development.

The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu.

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