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The University of the West Indies (UWI) is looking to put measures in place that will make it both more financial viable and bolster its reputation as the premier seat of learning in the region.

Speaking earlier today in his ‘State of UWI’ address, Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles explained the mission to advance The UWI in the 21^st Century.

The plan comes in two phases. Phase one, to build out the regional and global reputation of the university to such a level that it would be respected by all who encounter it. Phase two, having achieved this target, to convert the reputation of the university into revenue.

“I should admit at the outset, university leadership is not an ad hoc, random, off- the-cuff affair. It is simultaneously an art and a science that begins with intellectual conception and ends with measurable results. It requires the building of strategic partnerships and international internal team capacity.

“We have done this. We now have global respect. We have reliable friends, partners and allies in every corner of the globe and they are all willing to associate the brand of their fine universities with our cause. We cannot ask for more than this,” said Sir Hilary.

The UWI vice chancellor is very passionate and commmited to transforming the institution into a global institution that is a hybrid of digital and brick and mortar higher learning. With the governments of the Caribbean unable to honour their financial commitments to The UWI on a consistent basis, he wants the institution to pivot away from a deficit financing model to a balancing financing arrangement.

After two years, The UWI readied itself for its inaugural global ranking as assessed by Times Higher Education, the number one university ranking agent in the world. The UWI was ranked number one in the greater, wider Caribbean from a field of over 150 universities. It was also ranked in the top one per cent of the best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean, in a field of around 5,000 universities. The UWI is now ranked in the top four per cent of the world’s finest universities of over 26,000 universities.

“This is our phenomenal achievement and this is where we have reached. The BBC reported that in the years ahead, the Caribbean will be facing many challenges but can be comforted by the fact that it has available to it, a first class global university. Our alumni both at home and globally have good cause to be very proud of the pelican. Morale has skyrocketed, the management team feels energised. Our students are beaming with joy.

“The Times Higher Education informed us that what we have achieved is spectacular and that many universities have taken 30 years to achieve what we have achieved in a mere three years. We could not have asked for a greater validation of our leadership and effort of our team,” declared Sir Hilary most proudly.

Establishing The UWI as a global brand will be replete with challenges. Its ambition is to join the elite band of universities which will require funding and scholastic excellence.

“We reinvented and transformed UWI. We are now a fully fledged elite first-class global university rooted in the Caribbean. UWI was never meant to be small and small-minded, parochial and inward looking. This is why we were able to withstand and provide leadership in the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of The University of the West Indies

It will also have to be in a position to attract the brightest and the best. Caribbean achievement is always acknowledged and celebrated everywhere but at home. That will have to change.

“We had a decision to make. We could stay local and remain average or we could go global and rise up to the elite standards of the best universities in the world. We chose to go global. You can stay on the vine and whither or spread and prosper.

“We reinvented and transformed UWI. We are now a fully fledged elite first-class global university rooted in the Caribbean. UWI was never meant to be small and small-minded, parochial and inward looking. This is why we were able to withstand and provide leadership in the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why we were able to transition to online education and take students through the completion of their academic programmes. This is why we have succeeded because first-class universities do not back away from challenges,” said Sir Hilary.

There can be no doubt the Caribbean deserves a university with global standards that can be a training ground for a new generation of leaders and professionals. The UWI will need to beef up its research capabilities as it confronts climate change, food sustainability and the digital age. It has to lead the way in the Caribbean in a post pandemic world.

Yes, The UWI  has to be bold and courageous, but it also has to be cautious and take incremental steps in achieving its ambitions. What gets measured gets done. There is a chronic shortage of software engineers in the Caribbean and The UWI must play its part in addressing this. A larger cohort of software engineers will assist in lending greater efficiencies to both the private and public sectors.

Sir Hilary is aware of his detractors and those who say that The UWI’s plans are unattainable and simply pie in the sky that can never come to fruition.

To those he answers: “UWI is bringing developmental value to this region. Contrary to what some of our critics have said, these are not vanity projects. These are not cost escalating projects. These are projects necessary for the economic and social development of the Caribbean. UWI is the eyes and ears of the stakeholders to the development of this region. With the outbreak of COVID, we were able to save lives. Our governments placed science before politics. UWI worked hand in glove with our governments and we were able to suppress this pandemic and in the course save thousands of lives.

“In a time of pain, suffering and death, our university assisted our governments in giving our region a head start. This has been the university’s finest hour, assisting our governments in developing public health policies and protocols to save lives.”