 The story of every institution begins the same. First there is a need. Perhaps a need to feed the community or to protect it. Perhaps a need to educate the society. From that shared purpose individuals come together, bringing their ideas, the processes available to them and the technology of the time to build the institution. It’s as simple as that, from need to collective action to institution. This is how every great institution was born. This is how The University of the West Indies was born.
But there is a special danger for great institutions. In fact, the greater the institution, the greater the danger. The world is always changing. The Caribbean of 70 years ago is not the Caribbean of today. It’s not the Caribbean of 50 years ago or 25 years ago. Some would argue it’s not even the same Caribbean as five years ago. With the passage of time there has been an explosion of technology, a renaissance of process and a new world of ideas. Even the fundamental needs of Caribbean society have evolved. If we wish to not only survive but be a prosperous institution we have to always ask the question - have we kept pace? Are we evolving alongside the society we were established to serve? And, if the society itself is lagging, are we doing everything we can to propel it forward?
This March the St Augustine Campus held its annual Campus Council meeting, bringing together members of the university’s executive management, our own campus administrative team, student representatives and members of civil society. The purpose of the meeting was to ask these very questions. We took account of what has been accomplished in the previous year and we outlined our vision for the new year. Many words were spoken. Presentations were given. Protocols were followed. But underneath it all was the most basic of drives - fulfilling the purpose for which this institution was created.
The theme of this year’s Council meeting was “Bold Strokes”. Bold strokes are required. And I was very pleased to see in the presentations of our Deputy Principal Professor Indar Ramnarine and the Deans the way in which they have taken on this spirit of bold action. In every presentation I saw and heard colleagues committed to the evolution of the campus. This is not easy work. As the saying goes “there is comfort in the familiar”. But it is necessary work. (For more information on the Campus Council meeting see our page four story).
This Campus Council was the first for our new Chair Ms Sharon Christopher. We are truly fortunate to have someone with the dynamism and professional excellence of Ms Christopher in this vital role. Not only is she committed to the development of Trinidad and Tobago and the region, she is also acutely aware of the importance of our institutions and confident in their ability to grow, change and serve society. In fact, in her previous role on the executive management team of First Citizens she was a major contributor to the bank’s evolution and astounding success. I look forward to her contribution to the Council.
This means that 2019 will be the first year in over a decade without Mr Ewart Williams in the chairman’s seat. Mr Williams, quite simply, is a great citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. He is one of those rare examples of an individual who possesses not only outstanding attributes of intellect, professionalism and presence, but also patriotism, conscientiousness and empathy. When I became Campus Principal he was already Council Chair, and his steadiness, insight and command over the Council meetings provided great reassurance. The foundation for many of the initiatives that are being implemented at UWI St Augustine today were laid during his tenure and with his guidance and support. Mr Williams will be missed as Council Chair. However he is still a member of our campus community. We thank him for his service.
On March 18 I was happy to sit on a panel with Minister of Trade and Industry the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Ronald Hinds and Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) Professor Densil Williams, PVC of Academic-Industry Partnerships and Planning. The theme of the gathering was consultation between The UWI, the private sector and Government.
This type of partnership, which we have been advocating and working towards at UWI St Augustine for some years now, is crucial for ensuring The UWI’s relevance, as well as supporting the development of Caribbean entrepreneurship and innovation. In his address, Sir Hilary pointed to several initiatives being carried out by The UWI at the regional and international levels to create the critical skills required in our people, support governments and the private sector, and establish the enabling environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to thrive.
The gathering benefited enormously as well from the contribution of Mr Hinds, who spoke on behalf of the private sector. His insight on the need for better communication with the business community and understanding the beliefs that motivate them when developing plans (and in the case of Government policies) to reach out to them, was particularly relevant.
We were most encouraged by the strong words of support from Minister Gopee-Scoon for our endeavours. Despite the fiscal challenges they face, Government has shown interest and receptiveness for our initiatives to redefine and expand the University’s role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. The Minister continued that trend in her remarks.
At St Augustine we have already embarked on the process of deep collaboration with the private sector. Our campus team is led by Professor of Practice Gerry Brooks. Professor Brooks is a private sector powerhouse known for his successes as Chief Operating Officer at the Ansa McAl Group and his current post as Chairman of the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC). UWI St Augustine is in consultation with some very significant players in the private sector and we are grateful for their support.
In that very meeting I gave those in attendance a date of October 2019 for the launch of the St Augustine Campus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. The ecosystem will be a haven for innovators, spin-off companies and academics and researchers with the critical skills necessary to fulfill the needs of the business sector.
Yes, October is just months away, but our team has been working up to this moment for quite some time. As I said in the beginning, we went back to the fundamental questions - what is the need? What tools do we we have or can we acquire? How can this institution best serve the society? And when we answered those questions we took action, bold action. And so UWI St Augustine evolves.
Professor Brian Copeland
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal
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