4
UWI TODAY
– SUNDAY 7 APRIL 2019
CAMPUS NEWS
“We have to be full of conviction.
We have to make bold
strokes going forward.”
These were the words of Professor Brian Copeland,
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St
Augustine. Copeland, speaking at the 2019 Campus Council
meeting, laid out his ambitious, transformative agenda for
the St Augustine Campus, an agenda with the potential to
benefit not only the university, but Caribbean society itself.
At the annual Campus Council meeting held on
March 19 at UWI St Augustine under the theme “Bold
Strokes”, Copeland reported on the campus’ activities
and accomplishments in the 2017-2018 period, focusing
heavily on The UWI’s objective of “Revitalising Caribbean
Development”. The heart of the strategy, he outlined, is
using the campus as an ecosystem for entrepreneurship and
innovation that will act as a catalyst for innovation-driven
economic development for the region.
“To successfully compete (in the global marketplace) you
have to innovate,” Copeland told a gathering that included
Education Minister Anthony Garcia, Minister of State in the
Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis, new Council Chair
Ms Sharon Christopher, UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir
Hilary Beckles, senior administrators fromThe UWI, student
representatives and members of civil society.
Tying his report to the university’s 2017-2022 Strategic
Plan and its “Triple A Strategy” (Access, Alignment, Agility),
Copeland highlighted several initiatives geared towards
fostering innovation and entrepreneurship at St Augustine.
These include:
• The establishment of a spin-off company for asphalt-
based coatings based on research originating from the
Chemistry Department
• Awarding of a patent for fingerprinting technology
coming out of the Faculty of Science and Technology
• A provisional patent for antibiotic resistant drugs
developed in the Department of Life Sciences
• FCC certification for the Percussive Harmonic
Instrument (PHI), making it the first Caribbean invented
electronic product to receive such certification and
allowing it to be sold in the US
• The creation of UWI Ventures Limited, a company to
commercialise intellectual property
• The finalising of a technology licensing agreement
“We have achieved a lot,” said Copeland about these
and other initiatives for the advancement of the campus.
“However, you can’t stand still in this world. It moves very
quickly. There is a lot more to be done.”
Pointing to grim indicators such as a steady increase
in unemployment from 2011 to 2018, low GDP growth, a
position of 96 out of 126 countries in the Global Innovation
Index, and a placement in the bottom 20 per cent globally
for viable new startups, the Campus Principal said, “we are
spending foreign exchange to earn TT dollars.That shows our
production sector is not where it is supposed to be.”
Framing his strategy within the larger UWI plan as well
as Government’s “Vision 2030” and National Innovation
Policy, Copeland again called for the creation of a “Caribbean
Mittelstand”, a regional version of the successful German
model of small and medium-sized firms. The Mittelstand
accounts for 30 per cent of German exports and over 60 per
cent of the labour force.
Copeland envisionedUWI graduates as the driving force
behind a Caribbean Mittelstand: “We want our graduates to
be able to go forward and form their own businesses. We
want our graduates to lead the charge.”
Vice-Chancellor Beckles, in his remarks during
the Council, put the St Augustine Campus’ agenda and
achievements in the larger context of The UWI’s overall
mission:
“We are aware that all the magnificent research
conducted by our professors and academics in all of the
faculties must now find its way into the commercial space
to generate value of the university and for the communities,”
he said.
He added, “the concept we are using is that this research
- outstanding, cutting edge - must migrate from the faculties
to the factories and must migrate from the institutes on the
campuses to all of the industries that constitute the national
and regional economy.”
Campus Council 2019 marks the first council with new
Chair Sharon Christopher former Deputy Chief Executive
of First Citizens and a major contributor to the growth and
success of the bank.
“We wish the new Chair an excellent term of service,”
said Sir Hilary.
A special recognition was given to the previous Chair,
former Central Bank Governor Ewart Williams, who served
10 years at the head of the Council and as Chair of the Audit
Committee prior to that.
“He has given yeoman service as a Caribbean man, not
only to Trinidad and Tobago but to the Caribbean and the
world,” said David Moses, St Augustine Campus Registrar.
During the Campus Council all seven St Augustine-
based faculties gave short video presentations of their
activities over the period. The Dean of the Faculty of Sport,
Dr Akshai Mansingh, also gave a video presentation about
its work and near-term future plans. The faculty is based at
The UWI’s Regional Headquarters in Jamaica but serves all
campuses.
Deputy Principal Indar Ramnarine gave a detailed
presentation about the activities of the Office of the Deputy
Principal, which deals primarily with student matters.
Among the initiatives coming out of the office were a major
community engagement activity through the UWI-Farm
Road Collaborative Project, the implementation of a sexual
harassment policy for students and staff, the conversion of the
north block at Canada Hall to provide more accommodation
for female students and new student amenities such as over
760 new computers, four new shuttle buses, and eating and
recreational facilities.”
He also revealed “works in progress and planned works”
such as policies for students with disabilities and “at-risk”
students. The Deputy Principal said the campus was in the
process of recruiting a full-time psychiatrist and developing
an early warning system to detect at-risk students. Professor
Ramnarine said there would be an expansion of the campus
Wi-Fi network, a major concern of students.
Every year, the four campuses of The UWI each
hold their Campus Council meeting to report on their
accomplishments, challenges, metrics and goals for the future.
The Councils are critical for the governance and
accountability of the institution to its stakeholders -
Caribbean society.
This year the University Council, the governing body of
The UWI, will also host its annual meeting at the St Augustine
Campus on April 26.
You can see the 2017/2018 UWI St Augustine
annual report “Bold Strokes” at
The UWI St Augustine sets
“bold”
agenda at
CAMPUS COUNCIL 2019
B Y J O E L H E N R Y
From left: Mr David Moses, St Augustine Campus Registrar; St Augustine Campus Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian
Copeland; Campus Council Chair Ms Sharon Christopher; UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles; St Augustine Deputy Principal
Professor Indar Ramnarine.
PHOTOS: ANEEL KARIM
