 “We have to be full of conviction. We have to make bold strokes going forward.”
These were the words of Professor Brian Copeland, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine. Copeland, speaking at the 2019 Campus Council meeting, laid out his ambitious, transformative agenda for the St Augustine Campus, an agenda with the potential to benefit not only the university, but Caribbean society itself.
At the annual Campus Council meeting held on March 19 at UWI St Augustine under the theme “Bold Strokes”, Copeland reported on the campus’ activities and accomplishments in the 2017-2018 period, focusing heavily on The UWI’s objective of “Revitalising Caribbean Development”. The heart of the strategy, he outlined, is using the campus as an ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation that will act as a catalyst for innovation-driven economic development for the region.
“To successfully compete (in the global marketplace) you have to innovate,” Copeland told a gathering that included Education Minister Anthony Garcia, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis, new Council Chair Ms Sharon Christopher, UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, senior administrators from The UWI, student representatives and members of civil society.
Tying his report to the university’s 2017-2022 Strategic Plan and its “Triple A Strategy” (Access, Alignment, Agility), Copeland highlighted several initiatives geared towards fostering innovation and entrepreneurship at St Augustine. These include:
- The establishment of a spin-off company for asphalt-based coatings based on research originating from the Chemistry Department
- Awarding of a patent for fingerprinting technology coming out of the Faculty of Science and Technology
- A provisional patent for antibiotic resistant drugs developed in the Department of Life Sciences
- FCC certification for the Percussive Harmonic Instrument (PHI), making it the first Caribbean invented electronic product to receive such certification and allowing it to be sold in the US
- The creation of UWI Ventures Limited, a company to commercialise intellectual property
- The finalising of a technology licensing agreement
“We have achieved a lot,” said Copeland about these and other initiatives for the advancement of the campus. “However, you can’t stand still in this world. It moves very quickly. There is a lot more to be done.”
Pointing to grim indicators such as a steady increase in unemployment from 2011 to 2018, low GDP growth, a position of 96 out of 126 countries in the Global Innovation Index, and a placement in the bottom 20 per cent globally for viable new startups, the Campus Principal said, “we are spending foreign exchange to earn TT dollars. That shows our production sector is not where it is supposed to be.”
Framing his strategy within the larger UWI plan as well as Government’s “Vision 2030” and National Innovation Policy, Copeland again called for the creation of a “Caribbean Mittelstand”, a regional version of the successful German model of small and medium-sized firms. The Mittelstand accounts for 30 per cent of German exports and over 60 per cent of the labour force.
 Copeland envisioned UWI graduates as the driving force behind a Caribbean Mittelstand: “We want our graduates to be able to go forward and form their own businesses. We want our graduates to lead the charge.”
Vice-Chancellor Beckles, in his remarks during the Council, put the St Augustine Campus’ agenda and achievements in the larger context of The UWI’s overall mission:
“We are aware that all the magnificent research conducted by our professors and academics in all of the faculties must now find its way into the commercial space to generate value of the university and for the communities,” he said.
He added, “the concept we are using is that this research - outstanding, cutting edge - must migrate from the faculties to the factories and must migrate from the institutes on the campuses to all of the industries that constitute the national and regional economy.”
Campus Council 2019 marks the first council with new Chair Sharon Christopher former Deputy Chief Executive of First Citizens and a major contributor to the growth and success of the bank.
“We wish the new Chair an excellent term of service,” said Sir Hilary.
A special recognition was given to the previous Chair, former Central Bank Governor Ewart Williams, who served 10 years at the head of the Council and as Chair of the Audit Committee prior to that.
“He has given yeoman service as a Caribbean man, not only to Trinidad and Tobago but to the Caribbean and the world,” said David Moses, St Augustine Campus Registrar.
During the Campus Council all seven St Augustine-based faculties gave short video presentations of their activities over the period. The Dean of the Faculty of Sport, Dr Akshai Mansingh, also gave a video presentation about its work and near-term future plans. The faculty is based at The UWI’s Regional Headquarters in Jamaica but serves all campuses.
Deputy Principal Indar Ramnarine gave a detailed presentation about the activities of the Office of the Deputy Principal, which deals primarily with student matters. Among the initiatives coming out of the office were a major community engagement activity through the UWI-Farm Road Collaborative Project, the implementation of a sexual harassment policy for students and staff, the conversion of the north block at Canada Hall to provide more accommodation for female students and new student amenities such as over 760 new computers, four new shuttle buses, and eating and recreational facilities.”
He also revealed “works in progress and planned works” such as policies for students with disabilities and “at-risk” students. The Deputy Principal said the campus was in the process of recruiting a full-time psychiatrist and developing an early warning system to detect at-risk students. Professor Ramnarine said there would be an expansion of the campus Wi-Fi network, a major concern of students.
Every year, the four campuses of The UWI each hold their Campus Council meeting to report on their accomplishments, challenges, metrics and goals for the future.
The Councils are critical for the governance and accountability of the institution to its stakeholders - Caribbean society.
This year the University Council, the governing body of The UWI, will also host its annual meeting at the St Augustine Campus on April 26.
You can see the 2017/2018 UWI St Augustine annual report “Bold Strokes” at https://sta.uwi.edu/annualreport/report.php
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