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November 2009
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From the Principal: Celebrating ExcellenceAs the regional university, The UWI prides itself on continuously raising the bar for quality standards in teaching, research and service. We have a long-standing tradition of producing leaders in both the public and private sectors nationally, regionally and internationally. In fact, during our recent graduation ceremonies across the Caribbean, we graduated over 6,914 undergraduate and 1,969 postgraduate students from our four UWI Campuses, including 89 doctoral students. We also paid tribute to 16 specially selected honorary graduands, each of whom epitomizes excellence, dedication and service to the people of our region. Like our honorees, I too share the view that strong, visionary leadership is an important element of human development and that The UWI has a critical continuing role in building Caribbean leaders of the future. As we welcome another contingent of world leaders, this time for the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and discuss issues related to equitable and sustainable development, we must stand ready to take full responsibility for our part in creating a more equitable and sustainable world. After all, privilege and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. As leaders in our various disciplines, therefore, we must accept the challenge to be agents of change in the pursuit of a better future for those in our charge. There are several glowing examples around us that remind us of what authentic leadership and a drive to excel can produce. Our honorary graduates have been beacons in this regard and have remained committed to using their talent and their respective offices to uplift others. Our many students recognized in the various Faculty Prizegiving Ceremonies in October also demonstrate diligence and perseverance, while staff members such as our own Professor Clement Imbert, who was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, exemplify the true meaning of student-centredness, academic leadership and giving back to the community. Many more examples abound outside our Campus. Recently our own Trinidad and Tobago cricket team demonstrated its tenacity and drive for achieving excellence in a manner which can only communicate true leadership to the rest of the region. Inherent in these examples of success are the consistent qualities of commitment, discipline, selflessness, and teamwork, qualities which I hope to see taking root, more and more, at all levels in our societies.
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