UWI-Coventry Institute for Industry-Academic Partnership

Vice-Chancellor, The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles (2nd right), greets the Vice- Chancellor of Coventry University, Professor John Latham (2nd left) at the launch of The UWI-Coventry Institute for Industry-Academic Partnership at The UWI Regional Headquarters on Thursday, December 19, 2019. At left is Dr. Luz Longsworth, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus, The UWI and at right, Amb. Dr. Richard Bernal, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs, The UWI.

Dedicated to the promotion of an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Caribbean region, The UWI and the University of Coventry (UoC) launched the UWI-Coventry Institute for Industry-Academic Partnership in December 2019.

Intended to complement The UWI's leadership role in promoting innovation as a key driver of economic growth, new Institute supports the University's quest to become more entrepreneurial by fostering and increasing partnerships between The UWI and industry, among other strategies.

The UWI-Coventry Institute will aid the enhancement of international competitiveness in the Caribbean private sector through research and economic partnerships. Speaking at the launch of the Institute, Vice-Chancellor Beckles said that the University is committed to "demystifying how academia and entrepreneurship can intersect to achieve the economic growth". He said that The UWI was putting increased emphasis on strategies which place high priority on entrepreneurial activity, building bonds and bridges between capital and organised knowledge.

Coventry University is highly regarded in the area of industry-academic alliances. Noting that the Institute will provide research training at the postgraduate level and host a raft of master's degrees in the Caribbean, Coventry University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham, said that his university, which is consistently rated among the top universities in the world, is pursuing a global agenda which includes "working with sister institutions around the world to come up with new approaches to achieving innovation and entrepreneurial success".