Traditionally, the Principal's review examines the past year and highlights major successes. Since I am all about change in the way we do things, I choose instead to share with you some insights into the future that we envision, and that we intend to deliver, for the St. Augustine Campus.
None of this vision is achievable without the total engagement of all participants, on and off the Campus.
Back in 1968, Barbados Prime Minister, Sir Errol Barrow reminded us that no university can survive unless it keeps service to the communities that support and sustain it front and centre as a constant mantra.
That is why the people of the Caribbean look to us to fulfil that mandate in an environment characterized by regional economic volatility and uncertainty. As oil and gas reserves diminish, as climate change creeps inexorably onwards, and tourism proves its fickleness, we are mindful of those words of wisdom.
Our multicultural developing countries are constantly struggling to juggle competing economic needs so as to deliver engaging and relevant learning experiences for all learners. The scope of the challenge is daunting. Yet, if we don’t overcome this challenge, our nations will never reach developed status and will remain mired in a cycle of ‘developing’ or ‘emerging’ nations, with our best minds seeking fortunes abroad.
We recognize that the University must deliver nationals who are ready to revitalize the Caribbean and securely place it on a path to sustainable development. It must advance learning, create knowledge, and foster innovation for the positive transformation of the Caribbean. It must do so with integrity and excellence while remaining people-centred in the way that Caribbean people know and trust.
How will the St. Augustine Campus do so? The Campus has considered five thematic areas which are inexorably linked to the strategic goals of access, alignment, and agility. These are:
In pursuit of these strategic goals, we will initially focus on three areas in this first year of strategic plan implementation: curriculum and pedagogical reforms, the positioning of a Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and system and process overhaul.
