The UWI-University of Havana Centre for the Sustainable Development of Caribbean People

(From Left) Dr. Antonio Romero, Lecturer in Economics at University of Havana and President of the Norman Girvan Caribbean Studies Chair; Mrs. Miriam Alpizar Santana, Vice Minister of Cuban Higher Education Ministry; Dr. Miriam Nicado, Rector, University of Havana; Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI; Ambassador Gillian Bristol, Director of The UWI Latin America and Caribbean Centre (LACC); and Dr. Dionisio Zaldivar, First Vice Rector, University of Havana.

Through its Latin America-Caribbean Centre (LACC), The UWI negotiated a new arrangement with the University of Havana (UH), advancing its engagement from one of general cooperation to the creation of a unique joint endeavour that brings UH's scientific knowledge, scholarship and expertise to bear on the Caribbean's sustainable development.

This collaborative Centre, established in December 2019, is geared towards utilising the capacities and resources of The UWI and UH to strengthen their impact on social and economic development, sustainability, and transformation in the Caribbean. Vice-Chancellor Beckles and UH Rector, Dr. Miriam Nicado, signed the historic MOU and opened the official headquarters of the Joint Centre at UH, making The UWI the first centre of a foreign university housed at UH.

This pioneering step in The UWI's globalisation agenda and research partnerships enables collaborations which will focus initially on solutions to endemic health challenges in the Caribbean; history and reparatory justice; and renewable energy.

Collaborations between the entities continue on projects and activities under the Centre's thematic pillars, including a webinar series and instruction in Spanish for UWI students in the context of The UWI's multilingual policy.