News Releases

UWI Connects Incoming Students with Disabilities to Campus Support and Accommodations

For Release Upon Receipt - October 12, 2026

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – October 12, 2026 – The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, on Thursday 17 September, hosted a dedicated orientation for incoming students with disabilities, introducing them to the support services, resources and accommodations available through the Campus to support their academic success and enable their full participation in university life.

The orientation formed part of the Campus’ ongoing efforts to advance accessibility, equity and inclusion, ensuring that students with disabilities are introduced to available support from the outset of their university experience.

Acting Director of the Division of Student Services and Development, Kristy Mannette-Smith, said providing students with appropriate support is important to ensuring they can participate fully in both the academic and wider university experience

“At The UWI, we continue to work towards a campus that promotes accessibility, equity and inclusion, and that recognises that students require different forms of support to participate fully in university life,” Mannette-Smith said. “We want you to have that full experience.”

Mannette-Smith outlined the services available through the Division of Student Services and Development, including assistance with academic and examination accommodations, assistive technology, support groups and other student support services. The Division also facilitates communication between students, their faculties and other Campus stakeholders to help ensure that appropriate support is identified and provided.

The orientation also featured current students who shared their experiences and offered practical insights to the incoming cohort, highlighting how the support provided by the Campus has contributed to their academic progress and personal development.

Student Andreas Racha spoke about the impact of examination accommodations and the opportunities made available through the Student Life and Development for the Differently Abled (SLDD) unit.

“The accommodations for exams have helped me to perform well in many of my courses, which I would have failed otherwise,” Racha said. He added that SLDD staff had been welcoming and quick to reassure him that he would be supported as a student with a disability. He also highlighted employment opportunities facilitated by the unit, which have helped him build his résumé and prepare for future job applications, as well as raise awareness of opportunities available to students with disabilities.

For Abigail Lakhan, the support provided by SLDD has extended beyond academic accommodations to creating an environment in which she feels empowered to pursue her goals.

“The assistance and care that the SLDD has provided me has been transformative in a lot of positive ways,” Lakhan said. She described finding a safe and welcoming space where her academic and personal goals were supported, particularly during difficult periods when she questioned whether continuing her studies was possible.

Lakhan said the support had helped her envision a future that previously seemed out of reach, giving her the opportunity to pursue academic success on an equal footing with her peers despite a medical condition that had affected every aspect of her life.

The orientation also provided a direct point of connection between incoming students and the Division of Student Services and Development, helping students understand where to seek assistance and how to access available support as they begin their studies.

The UWI St. Augustine Campus remains committed to fostering an inclusive university community by working to ensure that students with disabilities can access the support and accommodations they need to participate fully in both the academic and wider life of the Campus.

 

END

Photo Captions:

Photo #1: Acting Director of the Division of Student Services and Development, Kristi Mannette-Smith gives a speech at the SLDD Orientation.

Photo #2: SLDD Student ambassadors host a panel during the SLDD Orientation, where they shared their testimonials about the program and resources offered. 

 

About The UWI

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.

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

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