SUNDAY 11 AUGUST 2019 – UWI TODAY
3
Many years ago, CARICOM echoed the sentiments
expressed by generations of Caribbean leaders, even to
this day, when it declared that an educated workforce is
crucial to the development of this region.
However, the formal education of which they spoke
can only be but one component of an effective strategy
for developing the kind of citizen that will populate
the envisioned highly productive workforce of the
future. Those citizens must be capable of shouldering
the responsibility of building a sustainably developed
society, one that boasts of a buoyant and robust economy,
a physically, mentally and spiritually resilient society
that is more cultured, caring and emotionally mature,
satisfying the needs of humanity without compromising
the integrity of the ecology.
This future scenario is very much in keeping with
the Mission of the UWI which, acknowledges the call
To advance learning,
but also speaks to sustainability
through the stated mandate to
create knowledge and
foster innovation for the positive transformation of the
Caribbean and the wider world.
It is in this vein that I place great significance on the
academia/industry relationship that we solidify today.
This, as detailed in this memorandum of understanding
between Shell and The UWI, is a symbiotic one in which
both parties will collaborate so as to practically deepen
the socio-economic development of Trinidad and
Tobago.
As many of you know, most recently The UWI was
ranked the number one university in the Caribbean,
one that the
Times Higher Education
world rankings has
placed among the top five per cent of 25,000 recognised
universities globally. We are also the only Caribbean
university to be ranked among the best. To remain
competitive, we have to continue to ensure that the work
that The UWI does is felt outside our walls.
We are therefore grateful that Shell has undertaken
to support us in our Mission, not just financially,
but also in research in areas of relevance such as new
energies/renewable energies, curriculum development,
innovation, diversification, continuous improvement,
student engagement, training partnerships and on-the-
job opportunities involving new energies projects.
Over the past couple of years, I have been doing
my best to motivate the staff and students at the St
Augustine Campus to switch gears and change the age-
old chalk-and-talk and publish-or-perish paradigms,
so as to bring more relevance to and impact on society.
In particular, I have stressed the need to drive a level
of social, ecological, and economic entrepreneurship to
ensure that, 15 years from now in the year 2034, it would
be clear to all, that Trinidad and Tobago and our region
is solidly located on a robust trajectory, headed towards
that target of a sustainably developed society .
In this regard, the Campus is actively developing an
entrepreneurship ecosystem, a strongly interconnected
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
PROFESSOR BRIAN COPELAND
Campus Principal
Academia/industry partnerships and the path to 2034
the Caribbean economic space and, at the same time,
shift the Campus closer to financial self-sustainability
and reduced dependence on Government funding.
The associated activities that will then be characteristic
of what is essentially a transformed university include
the licencing of technology and the creation of start-up
and spin-off companies that are net foreign exchange
earners.
This is our goal, our contribution to the growth
of the local and regional economy. However, it cannot
be achieved without forging deep and meaningful
partnerships with the private sector in the type of
symbiotic relationship I made reference to a few seconds
ago. This signing brings us one step closer to that
empowering scenario.
For the promise it brings, I wish to assure you, our
colleagues at Shell that the St Augustine team is very
much looking forward to working with you in the years
ahead.
I close by making a clarion call to other potential
partners – those in Industry, in Governments, national,
regional, and international communities – to follow
Shell’s example and partner with the St Augustine
Campus in our mission to revitalise Caribbean society.
Let us turn the vision of sustainable development for
Trinidad and Tobago and the Region into a reality. 2034
is not far away.
Thank you.
EDITORIAL TEAM
CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Professor Brian Copeland
AG. DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
AND COMMUNICATIONS
Wynell Gregorio
AG. EDITOR
Joel Henry
email:
CONTACT US
The UWI Marketing and
Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002, exts. 82013 / 83997
or email:
‘I close by making a clarion call to
other potential partners – those
in industry; in governments;
national, regional, and
international communities – to
follow Shell’s example and partner
with the St Augustine Campus
in our mission to revitalise
Caribbean society. Let us turn the
vision of sustainable development
for Trinidad and Tobago and the
Region into a reality.’
and well-coordinated network of strategically functional
units that establishes an effective pipeline to transform
potentially impactful ideas to realisation as product
or process. This ecosystem will, in the first instance,
promote and sustain economic entrepreneurship with a
strong innovative component.
This new innovation and entrepreneurship drive is
aligned to our Strategic Plan mandate to bring to bear
the knowledge created at UWI to positively impact on
On June 17, 2019, a memorandum of understanding was signed between The UWI and Shell. The agreement will allow
the company to provide financial as well as research, training and other support to the University and its students. In
his remarks, Pro Vice-Chancellor and UWI St Augustine Campus Principal
Professor Brian Copeland
spoke on the
importance of university/industry partnerships for the benefit of society. His address is included below:
