Professor V Eudine Barriteau, Pro Vice- Chancellor and Principal of the Cave Hill Campus of The UWI, has been awarded Barbados' highest national honour – the Order of the Freedom of Barbados. She was among three who headed this year’s list of national honourees to mark the 53rd anniversary of independence of Barbados.
Professor Barriteau has been conferred with the national honour for her outstanding contribution to tertiary education and pioneering leadership in the development of gender studies and the promotion of gender equality. She is a Caribbean feminist, scholar and activist with considerable experience in executive administration and coordination of regional projects. She also has extensive research interests that encompass transformational educational leadership, feminist theory and investigations of the Caribbean political economy, and gender and public policy.
"I am simply overjoyed, humbled and deeply honoured to have been awarded the inaugural Order of Freedom of Barbados. It is an overwhelming feeling of appreciation to have my work and my commitment recognised in my lifetime,” the Cave Hill Campus principal said, adding that “I am even more thrilled to make history as one of the first recipients of the Order of Freedom of Barbados. I have enjoyed the contributions I have made and have a deep sense of loyalty to Barbados which has embraced me and enabled my flourishing as a scholar and leader. Thank you, Barbados."
Professor Barriteau migrated from Grenada as a child in 1966. She earned a BSc honours degree from The UWI Cave Hill Campus in 1980 before going on to receive her masters and PhD at New York University and Howard University respectively. She has published 37 book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles, including her first book, The Political Economy of Gender in the Twentieth Century Caribbean.
A recipient of numerous national, regional and international awards and recognitions, Professor Barriteau has also spearheaded a number of initiatives at The UWI. These include recommending the creation of a Faculty of Sport, launching the Smart Campus Initiative and proposing the establishment of a Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, which comes into effect from August 1, 2020.
