In the foreword of the Pelican Annual 1966, one of The UWI’s original student publications, Campus Principal Sir Dudley Huggins described the experience of establishing and developing The UWI St Augustine campus as an “exciting adventure”. It was a sentiment that could apply to the entire university.
It’s been seven decades and five years since the creation of The University of the West Indies, enough time to establish a legacy, but still a brief moment in the ocean of human history. We are a young institution in a young region, and as we look at all that has been achieved by these Caribbean people in their Caribbean university, it can be easy to forget the tiny ember from which The UWI sprung, and the painstaking labours required to stoke that flame.
In 1966, my predecessor, Sir Dudley, wrote of many difficulties, just as The UWI faces many difficulties today. Yet, he said, “the old and the young, the teacher and the taught, need to look for hope rather than despair, for resolve rather than doubt”. And in motivating the fledgling campus community, he called on them to draw on their greatest power: unity.
“Our university – three campuses but one university - derives strength from that unity. We have cause to take pride in that circumstance in that The UWI is the outstanding example of unity...,” he wrote.
This year has been challenging, however, through the collective efforts of this campus community, St Augustine achieved many objectives and, on balance, made 2023 a success.
It is a necessary reminder in this final month of 2023, in this year of commemoration of this university’s 75 years as one of the Caribbean’s greatest institutions and assets. Today, we can look back with pride at the labours of the founders in tending that flame, a flame that has become, as declared, a light rising in the West.
In that spirit, I wish my final message of 2023 to be one of gratitude – not only for the work of the university’s founders but for the incredible work taking place at UWI St Augustine today. This year has been challenging, however, through the collective efforts of this campus community, St Augustine achieved many objectives and, on balance, made 2023 a success.
This year, the campus held several activities to commemorate the 75h anniversary, including the hosting of the Principal’s Research Awards and Festival that is covered in this issue of UWI TODAY. These events allowed us to celebrate our researchers, expose society to their work, highlight the campus and university’s tradition of research, and encourage even more faculty members and students to continue that research tradition.
The awards and festival are also a reminder of the value The UWI brings. More than ever, as an institution, we must not only continue to provide ever greater value, we must also proclaim that value to the sectors we partner with and the public we serve.
This year, UWI St Augustine worked on building our relationships with the government and private sector with the aim of creating or deepening partnerships. We intensified our labours in the innovation and entrepreneurship space for the development of campus-grown products and services. We also reached out to engage society through outreach activities, as well as invited the public to the campus for events of national and international importance.
In 2023 as well, our campus community members, both past and present, represented UWI St Augustine well, receiving numerous recognitions for their work, speaking with authority on the most urgent topics, and ascending to prominent positions in a host of fields.
And of course, the campus community successfully carried out the core operations for which they are best known – providing higher education and information services. At all levels, they continued to fulfill the purpose for which this university was established many years ago. I am extremely grateful for their efforts.
Now, the campus looks forward to 2024, another year in our “exciting adventure”. We will, undoubtedly, face many challenges, but as a campus and a university, we will marshall our strengths and continue the legacy that was created for Caribbean people 75 years ago. It is my deep desire that seven decades and five years from now, when the leaders of The UWI of tomorrow face their own struggles, they will find comfort in messages such as this, and take comfort that the adventure continues.
To all staff, students, alumni, retirees, and members of society that have worked with UWI St Augustine in 2023, thank you. I hope the New Year brings you health and happiness.
