October 2014


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Message from the Principal: The convergence of history and development

My thoughts this week are shaped by my recent visit to the University of Vienna in Austria where I was representing the UWI St. Augustine Campus, together with colleagues from our History Department, at the international conference, “The Congress of Vienna and its global dimension,” marking the Bicentenary of the Congress of Vienna.

There is no doubt that the Congress of Vienna which brought together the great powers of the time (Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia and France) changed the course of European history, created peace for 100 years and influenced the forward march of world civilization, including developments in the colonial Caribbean. It brought together scholars, students, researchers, professors, historians, and decision makers who not only reflected on the effects of the historic Congress but more importantly, discussed the various development paths taken by European countries and their former colonies over the past two centuries and possible implications for the future.

The University of Vienna in itself was awe-inspiring. Founded in 1365 and celebrating its 650th anniversary next year, the university has approximately 92,000 students, and 9,700 employees, of whom 6,900 are academics. It is the largest teaching and research institution in Austria. Beyond its size, what struck me about this university was the vastness and depth of its historical experience as a central institution and lead architect in helping to build Austrian society, to shape its thinking and culture, and to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for its people. This is no different from the mission of the UWI St. Augustine Campus.

History undoubtedly influences the future and thus, historians play a crucial role in examining lessons learnt from the past as we chart a new course for the future. I celebrate the work of our own historians at UWI St. Augustine, Prof. Bridget Brereton, Dr. Brinsley Samaroo, Dr. Kelvin Singh, Dr. Kusha Haraksingh, the late Dr. Keith Laurence and late Dr. Fitz Baptiste. We will continue to build this centre of excellence by supporting the work of our younger historians and encouraging greater communication and wider dissemination of their very important research.

This past Wednesday we hosted our UWI-NGC Research Awards Ceremony which showcased the exceptional and impacting research projects undertaken by UWI scholars across our Faculties. In celebrating their accomplishments, we also emphasized the importance of research mentorship in seeking to build an even stronger research culture. By intensifying our focus on knowledge creation and by documenting and disseminating our findings using traditional scholarly publications as well as new media and technologies, the UWI, though small and young in comparison to other tertiary institutions internationally, will continue to stand tall, to differentiate itself and to play its part in shaping national and regional development.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Campus Principal: Professor Clement Sankat
Director of Marketing and Communications: Dr. Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill
Editor: Ms Vaneisa Baksh [vaneisa.baksh@sta.uwi.edu]

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