FROM LEFT: Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Deputy Director of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC) Professor Arvind Singh; Executive Director of the AIIC Dr Craig Ramlal; Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine; Chief Executive Officer of the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago Mr Nirad Tewarie; and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Professor Bheshem Ramlal, display the signed MoU. PHOTO: ANEEL KARIM
The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Centre (AIIC) at UWI St Augustine and the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance collaboration in AI, workforce development, and digital transformation.
The partnership brings together academia and industry to drive initiatives in research, training, policy development, and innovation, with a focus on helping businesses and professionals adapt to evolving digital technologies.
Under the agreement, UWI St Augustine and AMCHAM T&T will collaborate on a range of activities, including joint research projects, professional development programmes, student internships, and public education initiatives.
A key focus of the partnership is the development of AI-related capacity across T&T and the wider Caribbean, including contributions to national policy on AI governance, data protection, cybersecurity, and digital trade. This will also bring capacity building through academic programmes, and continuing professional education short courses and microcredentialing, to the forefront of AI integration.
Commenting on the MOU, UWI St Augustine Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, said that “it represents a deliberate shift from being consumers of technology to becoming creators of responsible, indigenous AI solutions shaped by our own realities.”
She added, “By partnering with AMCHAM T&T, we are strengthening the bridge between academic research and real‑world application, and ensuring that AI development in the Caribbean is grounded in innovation, ethics, and impact.”
Speaking on the partnership, AMCHAM T&T Chief Executive Officer Nirad Tewarie stated, “AMCHAM T&T is delighted to partner with The UWI and the AIIC specifically on this initiative. Closer partnership between industry and academia represents a powerful but still largely untapped opportunity to bridge the gap between innovation and real-world application.”
Mr Tewarie said the collaboration “will enable our members and the wider private sector to better understand, adopt, and scale AI-driven solutions in a practical and responsible way. By working closely with one of the region’s leading centres of expertise, we can support stronger policy development, build digital capacity within companies, and position Trinidad and Tobago as a more competitive, future-ready economy.”
UWI St Augustine Campus has been at the forefront of advancing AI in the Caribbean, most notably through the establishment of AIIC, which was launched in December 2025.
Dr Craig Ramlal, Executive Director of the AIIC stated, “In the face of a poor research to commercialisation ethos throughout the region, the AIIC remains committed to developing the relationship between cutting-edge ideas and digital products and goods…. Through this partnership with AMCHAM, we are also happy to explore what an AI and policy guidebook can look like for companies and organisations.”
The partnership is expected to support talent development, including the rollout of micro-credentials and short courses in areas such as AI literacy and data analytics. Companies will also benefit from structured programmes to guide digital transformation and the adoption of emerging technologies.
The agreement further integrates collaboration with regional initiatives such as AMCHAM T&T’s Tech Hub Islands Summit (THIS), where both organisations will contribute to technical workshops, innovation showcases, and knowledge-sharing platforms designed to accelerate digital progress across the Caribbean.
