News Releases

UWI Graduates Final Year UWI/FIFA/CIES Postgraduate Diploma Students

For Release Upon Receipt - June 5, 2012

St. Augustine


On Tuesday May 29, 2012, The University of the West Indies’ Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) graduated the final-year students of its UWI/FIFA/CIES Post Graduate Diploma programme. A collaboration between The UWI, The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), these students are the first in Trinidad and Tobago to successfully complete the programme, offered through the Faculty’s Department of Management Studies. The graduation ceremony took place at The UWI Learning Resource Centre Auditorium, St. Augustine.

The UWI/FIFA/CIES programme offers courses in Strategic Management of Sports, Sports Marketing, Law and Sports, Communication in Sports, Sports Finance, Sports Facilities Management, Event Management and Human Resource Management (HRM) in Sports.

Professor Clement Sankat, UWI St. Augustine Campus Principal, who delivered a speech at the ceremony, indicated that the programme is the first of its kind to be offered in the Caribbean. He challenged the new graduates, “our sport professionals,” to “go out and do something big! Consider yourselves pioneers in this new and evolving discipline. Put the knowledge and skills gained from this programme to work and leave your mark on society. Whether it is as part of an organization or as an entrepreneur, follow the slogan of the leading manufacturers of sporting goods (Nike) and ‘Just do it!’” 

Attending the ceremony were parents of the graduates, senior staff members of The UWI, Sports Management students, and Presidents and General Secretaries of national sporting organizations, the ceremony began with opening remarks by Professor Surendra Arjoon, Head of the Department of Management Studies. This was followed by a welcome address by Dr. Hamid Ghany, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Remarks were also provided by Mr. Vincent Monnier, Senior Manager of International Relations at the Centre International D’Etude du Sport (CIES). A feature address was delivered by Dr. Keith Clifford, Chairman of the First Citizens Sports Foundation.

Following the distribution of diplomas and entertainment by Arts in Action, the Theatre-in-Education Outreach Unit of The UWI’s Department of Festival and Creative Arts (DCFA), valedictorians Mr. Shawn Garcia and Mr.  Brent Phillips delivered their valedictory addresses.

The ceremony ended with special presentations and votes of thanks by Mr. Errol Simms, Deputy Dean of Planning and Programming at the FSS, and students of the programme, Mr. Sterling Seebransingh and Ms. Charisse Bacchus.

In October 2012, the Department of Management Studies will host a one day seminar on Sports Marketing in collaboration with the CIES and FIFA.

For further information, please contact Ms. Charisse J. Broome at 662-2002 ext 83724, or via e-mail at Charisse.Broome@sta.uwi.edu.

For the latest UWI News, click http://sta.uwi.edu/news.

About UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

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

Contact