The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, held its first UWI Fair in Blanchisseuse, in partnership with the Honourable Minister and Member of Parliament for Arima, Mrs Pennelope Beckles, on Monday, June 10th, 2024. This initiative aligned with The University’s Triple A Strategy to extend our outreach to underserved communities and broaden Access and opportunities for all citizens to receive quality tertiary education. The event, led by the Office of the Campus Principal, presented a wonderful opportunity for the Campus to showcase its diverse range of innovative programmes and initiatives and its commitment to community-targeted solutions. All eight Faculties of the Campus, Engineering, Food and Agriculture, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Sport, were present at the event along with the Admissions Department, Division of Student Services and Development and the Marketing and Communications Department. The Campus shared samples of various products, such as limited samples of Biophyt 1.0, an innovative organic pesticide that provides a biological alternative to hazardous pesticides and enhances plant growth, and samples of local flours and passion fruit syrup from the Faculty of Food and Agriculture. This effort aimed to generate enthusiasm for agriculture in the country and promote food security. Additionally, the Campus provided reading assessments to assist parents in supporting their children’s reading development and interacted with students and members of the community to showcase what degrees from The UWI can afford. The exhibits included health talks, blood pressure testing and body mass index testing, along with displays from our National Herbarium and Zoology Museums, games, quizzes, and more.
