 |
 |
 |
|
February 2014
|
The UWI St Augustine campus hosted a group of faculty members from Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut, from January 30 to February 20, 2014. The visit was twofold, as it involved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutions, and a Distinguished Open Lecture by Professor of English, Dr Milla Riggio, that was Carnival related. Prof Riggio was instrumental in this visit as she has extensively focused her research since 1995 on Trinidad Carnival and was keen to have the President of Trinity College, Dr James Jones, have a first-hand experience of their students’ time here and Trinidad Carnival. Dr Jones, who was also accompanied by his wife, Jan, was able to get a small but memorable taste when they attended the popular UWI Fete, “Brasil” on February 2. The contingent, which also included Professor of History, Dr Dario Euraque, renewed the MOU the following day at the Office of the Principal, where Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Clement Sankat signed on The UWI’s behalf. Later that evening, Prof Riggio, no stranger to Trinidad and Tobago, delivered her lecture to a packed audience at the Learning Resource Centre on “Carnival Crossings: From There to Here—Arkansas to Harvard to Trinidad.” Prof Riggio currently coordinates the Trinity-in-Trinidad Study Abroad Programme, which is a student exchange programme that brings students from Trinity College to study at The UWI each year as well as sends UWI students to study at Trinity College on exchange. Prof Riggio is interested in expanding the areas of collaboration and while here, she met with the Film Department, the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, the Literary, Cultural and Communication Studies Department, while Prof Euraque met with the Head of the History Department, Dr Heather Cateau. The discussions, started during two interactions in 2013 about the establishment of a presence for the longstanding 'Trinity in Trinidad’ at the St Augustine Campus, continued during the February visit and it was agreed that a long-term arrangement between both institutions should be developed for this purpose. It is expected that the physical presence of Trinity students and faculty on the St Augustine Campus will allow even greater engagement and cross-fertilization in T&T culture, music, literature and other areas where Trinity students and staff have done considerable work over the many years of their programme here. The first agreement for student exchange was signed by the two institutions in February 2010 for research and to enhance cultural cooperation. |
