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UWI TODAY
– SUNDAY 9 OCTOBER, 2016
UWI GLOBAL
The UWI and The State University of New York (SUNY)
have launched the
SUNY UWI CENTRE for Leadership
and Sustainable Development
at the end of September, at
the SUNY Global Centre in New York. The Centre builds
on areas identified in previous UWI-SUNY analyses and
includes research relevant to democratic participation,
leadership, and governance, with a focus on solutions to
specific problems constraining the achievement of the
United Nation’s sustainable development goals, while
focusing on serving groups that have faced barriers to equal
opportunities.
“SUNY’s new partnership with The UWI represents
an important milestone in our ongoing conversations about
educating and empowering students and faculty in order
to make substantial advances in the areas of leadership
and sustainable human development,” said SUNY Board
Chairman H. Carl McCall. “Our partnership is all the
more exciting when you consider the positive impact and
practical benefits the application of our research, academic
programmes, teaching, and learning will have for our
students and faculty, as well as the millions of people in
the Caribbean, the Caribbean diaspora in New York, and
beyond. We are proud to advance our mutual goals with
The UWI and I thank Sir Hilary for his continued passion
and leadership”.
UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles
said: “Both The UWI and SUNY have agreed that a Centre
of this nature is required to provide innovative solutions
to the underlying problems that ultimately constrain the
achievement of sustainable human development in the
wider Caribbean and in the urban areas of New York State,
in which there is a substantial Caribbean diaspora that is
served by SUNY. This initiative is part of the programme
of international engagement that enables The UWI to play
an active developmental role among the wider Caribbean
community”.
At the Centre, joint teams of UWI and SUNY expert
teams will take a multi-disciplinary approach and draw on
external expertise as appropriate to advance the following
goals:
• Creation of a master’s programme
in leadership and sustainable
development
• Solutions-oriented research
• Student advocacy and mobilization of
the Caribbean diaspora
• Establishment of an expert network
• Facilitation of a think-tank
The Centre will be governed by an advisory board
consisting of academic experts, foundation and development
professionals and administrative leaders fromThe UWI and
SUNY. It will begin operations at 325 Hudson Street in
Manhattan, one of SUNY Empire State College’s three New
York City locations.
The concept for the Centre has garnered strong support
from the Commonwealth and the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM).
Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland
QC said, “I commend the vision and commitment to serving
the practical needs of the people of the Caribbean – whether
at home or in the diaspora – that has led to the SUNY
UWI Centre for Leadership and Sustainable Development.
Commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean, and from
other Small Island Developing States, will derive lasting
benefit from this partnership project, and the focus it brings
to the human development needs of our people, wherever
they live, learn or work. In this year when we celebrate
‘An Inclusive Commonwealth’ it is good to see The UWI
continuing to play an active and innovative developmental
role for the benefit of the wider Caribbean community”.
AT THE LAUNCH: (L-R) SUNY Empire State College President Merodie A. Hancock, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus, Dr Luz Longsworth, SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman H. Carl
McCall, UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, SUNY Provost and Executive Vice-Chancellor Alexander N. Cartwright and UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Affairs Ambassador, Richard Bernal.
Making History:
UWI launches first Centre in NewYork
“SUNY’s new partnership
with The UWI
represents an important
milestone in our
ongoing conversations
about educating and
empowering students and
faculty in order to make
substantial advances in
the areas of leadership
and sustainable human
development”
UWI Chancellor Sir George Alleyne said, “My
warmest congratulations on this path-breaking initiative
which is a part of The UWI’s global agenda which focuses
here on a more active, supportive and developmental role
that embraces the Caribbean community and diaspora. It
will provide some of that essential leadership training and
research needed by the wider Caribbean as it prepares to
meet the new sustainable development goals”.
