October 2018


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Although the new academic year is already in progress, let me officially say welcome to all new and returning local, regional, and international undergraduate and postgraduate students. I trust that this will be another successful year at the Caribbean region’s premier tertiary institution, where some of the most influential minds have studied, taught and researched for seven decades.

As Deputy Campus Principal, with special responsibility for students, I am always conscious of the fact that one of the main roles of the University is to produce ideal UWI graduates. The UWI seeks to nurture students who will one day add to the efforts to revitalize Caribbean development. Achieving this demands that great thought and effort go into developing student-centred programmes and activities that are not merely qualification-centred. Overall, The UWI aims to build and expand initiatives that develop versatile, skilled, capable, and well-rounded students. The main focus is to guide students along the path to becoming distinctive graduates. This begins in their first semester through to their last day as a UWI St Augustine student.

In academic year 2018/2019, this campus continues its student development and preparation thrust, spearheaded by the Division of Student Services and Development. At this stage of their academic journey, new students need extra guidance to make a smooth transition to university life. They also need to be oriented on the pathway to academic success. To do this, at the beginning of this semester, new students received a grand welcome with a number of activities aimed at helping to create a sense of belonging to this university and campus, and to build camaraderie. Among other events, the highly anticipated 2018/2019 cycle of the First Year Experience Programme was launched. Over the course of the academic year, new students will be exposed to specifically designed activities that will not only help their transition, but also set the foundation for developing the attributes of an ideal UWI graduate.

As students advance from their first year to their second and third years of study, there is an ongoing focus on their holistic development. Continuing students are encouraged to learn a language; join a club; participate in co-curricular courses; volunteer; seek community engagement opportunities; and contribute to community service learning. There are good reasons for this: co-curricular courses foster a range of important life skills that align with the characteristics of a distinctive UWI graduate; volunteer and community engagement activities impart an increased sense of civic responsibility, and social justice; and service learning promotes the application of scholarship, and learning through service to others. These activities empower students, expose their ability to grow, and facilitate social improvement and change.

The World of Work (WOW) programme is a thriving initiative that is very much in demand by prospective graduates. WOW has proven to be invaluable to our final year students. The main programme objective goes far beyond connecting employers with prospective employees. Each activity (the seminars, mock interviews, resume writing sessions, speed networking) is meticulously designed to ensure that before they graduate, each final year student is given an opportunity to be equipped with the foundational skills and tools to secure gainful employment, and for the duration of their careers. These challenging economic times have created a tough job market. Now, more than ever, students will need to become graduates who are the best candidate for the jobs that are available.

I believe that the launch of the 2018/2019 cycle of the WOW programme convinced students that this year’s programme will surpass their expectations. One memorable moment was when Mr Jerome Precilla shared his insights on entrepreneurship. This feature address aligned perfectly with the projected vision for the university, this campus, and our graduates. In addition to outlining the goal of creating an entrepreneurial university, the Triple A Strategic Plan 2017-2022 describes “entrepreneurial” as a key attribute of distinctive UWI graduates. Hopefully, after hearing that presentation, more of our graduates will begin to see entrepreneurship as a viable career option rather than a last resort.

This campus could not have possibly organised and launched another successful year of the WOW programme without the support of one faithful corporate sponsor. For yet another year, Republic Bank Limited agreed to be the title sponsor of the WOW Programme. This corporate partner has displayed its enduring commitment to corporate social responsibility by supporting this campus in various ways. The UWI, St Augustine campus is most grateful to have a longstanding relationship with this organisation, and to partner in this particular endeavour once again.

We are actively implementing measures to ensure that every October, all graduates who leave the UWI, are poised to positively transform the region, and the world. If they are to do so, we need them to be critical and creative thinkers; effective communicators; IT-skilled and information literate; innovative and entrepreneurial; globally aware and well-grounded in his/her regional identity; socially, culturally and environmentally responsible; and guided by strong ethical values. I believe that we are well on our way.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Campus Principal: Professor Brian Copeland
Director of Marketing and Communications (Ag): Mrs Wynell Gregorio
Editor (Ag): Shereen Ann Ali (Email:ann.ali@sta.uwi.edu)

Contact us:
The UWI Marketing and Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002 exts. 82013, 83997
Email: uwitoday@sta.uwi.edu