In order to survive and grow, The University of the West Indies must go global. Across all four campuses, the University continues to build expertise in fields such as the marine sciences, creative and cultural industries, agro-innovation and renewable energy, to become a centre of excellence in these areas, for the world.
At the same time, we are connecting to international university and industry partners, to access technology, expertise and resources, to best meet the region’s needs.
China is a world leader in science, technology and manufacturing, and an emerging global superpower. The UWI signed an agreement with Suzhou University to establish a UWI-China Institute of Science and Technology in 2016. An agreement was also made with China Agricultural University, to establish an Agricultural Innovation Park in Trinidad.
Japan is one of the most advanced countries in terms of scientific and medical research, as well as a technology innovator. It has the world’s third largest budget for research and development (US$130 billion). The UWI signed an MOU with Sophia University in Tokyo, one of the top private universities in Japan, to facilitate faculty/student exchanges, joint research, conferences, workshops and international training programmes.
The UWI signed an agreement with the Coimbra Group of Brasilian Universities to strengthen the relationship moving forward. The Organisation of American States (OAS) and Coimbra then launched more than 500 scholarships for Master’s and Doctoral Programmes - http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/brazil.asp, to which UWI students are encouraged to apply. Brasil is also offering 100,000 scholarships for their students to study abroad, particularly in English-speaking countries, such as The UWI member states.
The UWI has developed several collaborative agreements with Higher Education Institutions in Colombia. This enabled 450 UWI Language Exchange students to spend up to a year in Colombia. In addition, 350 Colombians have been Exchange Students and Spanish Language Teaching Assistants at The UWI.
Joint research is being developed with the National University of Colombia at San Andrés, in Marine Biology, Sustainable Use of Fishable Resources, and Coastal Zone Management. A delegation from the Network of State Universities of the Colombian Caribbean (SUE Caribe) visited The UWI to discuss specific areas for future collaboration.
The State University of New York (SUNY) system encompasses 64 institutions, 463,000 students, and 7,500 degree programmes in New York State. The proposed UWI-SUNY Centre for Caribbean Governance, Leadership and Development will be a key hub for The UWI overseas, particularly for connecting more deeply with the Caribbean diaspora.
Additional areas for collaboration explored under The UWI-SUNY agreement include Agro-Technology and Food Security, ICTs, Cultural Industries, History, Africana Studies, and Pharmacy. Six projects, aligned with The UWI’s research priorities for the region, have already received seed funding, with a focus on Citizen Security, Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, Coral Reefs, Cardiovascular Health, and Climate Change.
