As the restrictions placed on society are loosened, thanks to Trinidad and Tobago’s outstanding management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus community looks forward to the upcoming 2020/2021 academic year. While we are not free from the risks associated with the Coronavirus (as discussed in our page 7 article on a recent health webinar), we are able to better focus on the new school year and campus life.
In this issue of UWI TODAY, we take a special look at student life, focusing on student achievement, student international experience, internships and non-traditional careers. We wanted to share some of what life is like for those who have made the decision to pursue higher education on this campus. The focus is beyond academics. Of course this aspect of the student experience is crucial, but studying at UWI can be so much more.
Our page 1 story is on James Josaphat, a researcher from the Department of Life Sciences in the Faculty of Science and Technology, who with his colleagues have discovered a new species of fish in his homeland, Haiti. Not only is his research fresh, but it is also an expression of commitment to his home, which has not benefited from much scholarship of this kind. In our centrespread, we continue with our focus on food security, a critical issue of our time that is being championed by the Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA). In the spread as well, a truly collaborative team from both within the campus and externally launched a seed kit initiative for people with disabilities. These seeds can be used to grow food and is a great way to encourage small and home food gardening. It is also a way of offering people with disabilities a path to greater self-sufficiency and a means to supplement their food stores.
This June issue also takes a very timely look at education during and after a pandemic, as well as the “Whole Child” concept. An initiative of the School of Education within the Faculty of Humanities and Education, the series brings together some of our leading academics and scholars in the field of education to discuss an array of topics related to the theme. As our society is in the process of mapping out a post- COVID-19 roadmap, the insights from this series should definitely be considered in developing strategies for the educational system.
In May, we focused on UWI St Augustine’s contribution to the national response to COVID-19. This month we continue to look at how the camps community is supporting Trinidad and Tobago during this time. Our Centre for Language Learning (CLL) held a two-week course of study for Cuban nurses that were brought to T&T to supplement our medical professionals during the pandemic. CLL teachers administered a short programme on English for medical purposes to the nurses. They also taught them a bit about Trini culture.
On our back page we give a round-up of The UWI response to COVID-19 throughout the region. It is important to remember, even as we make the slow return to some form of normalcy, the great challenge of this global pandemic and how so many of our faculty, staff, students and alumni stepped forward. There is a tendency these days to slip into cynicism, which is understandable given the many challenges Caribbean society faces. However, it is undeniable that as a university community, we made and continue to make a very real and positive impact on the region during this time. Let’s maintain that momentum.
JOEL HENRY
AG. EDITOR
