The UWI Five Islands Campus, Antigua and Barbuda. Tuesday, March 8, 2022. — On Monday, March 7, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and the National Baking Company Foundation in Jamaica signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for funding towards the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and Blue Economy.
The MoU provides for a grant of USD 130,000 to help establish the Centre which will be based at The UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua & Barbuda.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony held at The UWI Regional Headquarters in Jamaica, Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles applauded the National Baking Company and its founder Gary “Butch” Hendrickson for the support of the University. He noted that partnerships like this one fit into The UWI’s strategic plan to bring alignment to industry and academia. Vice-Chancellor Beckles also noted that partnership is particularly important to implement the development of the marine and blue economy, which is critical to the future of the region.
Principal of The UWI Five Islands Campus, Professor Densil A. Williams, noted that the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and Blue Economy will be a game-changer in the diversification of the economic sectors of the region as the Caribbean looks for economic transformation. “It is important to note that the Centre will be at the forefront of leading research and innovation on all issues related to the Blue economy so that we can find new avenues for wealth generation using our vast ocean resources as we have in the Caribbean,” [SW1] [SM2] he explained. He also lauded Mr. Gary ‘Butch’ Hendrickson for extending his philanthropy to the wider Caribbean with this gift to The UWI and the impact in shaping minds and innovative activities at the Five Islands Campus.
Director of the National Baking Company Foundation, Craig Hendrickson, who addressed the signing virtually, reaffirmed his organisation’s commitment to the Centre saying, “It brings us pride at National Baking Company Foundation to support the launch and early initiatives of the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and Blue Economy at The UWI Five Islands Campus.” He commented that climate change affects all the islands of the Caribbean and will have implications for business—whether small businesses or large corporations, all of whom are users of the ocean in one way or another.
Minister of Social Transformation and the Blue Economy of Antigua and Barbuda, the Honourable Dean Jonas, endorsed the partnership between The UWI and the National Baking Company Foundation. Minister Jonas, who heads the International Steering Committee for the Centre, also pledged his government’s continued support for operations, noting that the Centre will bring crucial research and diversify the economies across the region, especially in a post-COVID era, through the use of ocean resources.
The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and Blue Economy was established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and The UWI which was signed in January 2021. The Centre will be located at The UWI Five Islands Campus, and the grant of USD130,000 will be used in setting up the Centre, scheduled to open on August 1.
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About The University of the West Indies
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands inAntigua and Barbuda and itsOpen Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.
The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
For more, visit www.uwi.edu.
(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
