The 2030 agenda for sustainable development outlines the 17 inter-connected goals that seek to promote a healthy balance between people, planet and prosperity. Universities, including The UWI, play a critical role in the advancement of the SDGs. In 2019, the Office of Development was re-named the Office of Global Partnerships for Sustainable Futures (OGPSF) to reflect the shift in emphasis in the international discourse from ‘development' to ‘sustainability' and to incorporate a ‘futures thinking perspective' into the University's strategic engagement on development issues.
This OGPSF continued to build upon its solid track record for donor engagement, collaboration and resource mobilisation with a wide range of partner institutions to embed the University's work into the work programmes of multilateral development agencies and other development partners to access funding and collaboration opportunities.
During the period 2019/2020, the Office led a range of initiatives, at both the strategic and operational levels, to advance the Office's mandate.
The OGPSF coordinated The UWI's participation in the International Association of Universities' (IAU) Global Cluster on Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development (HESD) and its leadership of SDG 13 (Climate Action) and over the period, advancing the workplan of the Global University Consortium on SDG 13, including hosting of virtual meetings of the Global University Consortium (GUC) on SDG13 to pursue collaboration opportunities such as:
This event was held at the SUNY Global Center in New York to coincide with the UN Climate Summit (September 2019). It brought together climate researchers from GUC member universities and international development partners including the World Bank, IDB, UNDP, ECLAC, Association of Caribbean States, Zero Mass Water Inc. and Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator.
In March 2020, the University Council approved in principle the proposal to establish the Global Institute for Climate Smart and Resilience Development (GICSRD).
The OGPSF coordinated the filming of a BBC StoryWorks video entitled ‘Tackling the Effects of Climate Change'. The video was part of the IAU Aiming Higher Video Series highlighting how universities around the world are helping to tackle some of the biggest challenges those societies face. The UWI's film showcases how the University is contributing to responding to the sargassum threat in the Caribbean, supported by the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), The UWI Cave Hill.
The knowledge management platform which can be accessed at: https://www.universities4climateaction.org/ promotes courses, research and advocacy of member institutions of the GUC on SDG 13. This platform is maintained by the OGPSF.
At The UWI's Annual Business Meeting of Council on May 13, 2020, OGPSF Director presented the Special Report on The UWI's contribution to advancing climate action in the areas of research, teaching, advocacy, partnerships and sustainability practices. The special report produced by the OGPSF in collaboration with the University Marketing & Communications Office, is complemented by a video entitled "A Matter of Caribbean Survival", produced in collaboration with UWItv Global.
Both the report and video are available on the OGPSF website: https://uwi.edu/gpsf/resources.
OGPSF provided technical oversight of the work programme of The UWI Youth Development Programme (YDP), which was integrated into OGPSF in the 2020/2021 academic year.
The YDP coordinated The UWI's collaboration for the Global Youth Network Summit on Climate and Health (10 July 2020), jointly convened by UNICEF and Ashley Lashley Foundation. This included:
The YDP also
CDB support for provision of ICT devices to support students in need as part of The UWI's COVID-19 response:
The MoU signed with the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, has led to another UWI-Parliament project valued at USD 207,000 with the Open Campus to develop online courses for the first Parliamentary Academy in the Caribbean.
Decibel Entertainment Festival (DEF) 2020 contribution and online donations to assist with fundraising efforts for UWI students:
In collaboration with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (OGSR), a virtual workshop was organized to build capacity for mobilizing resources from EU funding programmes. The training focused on EU funding tools, policies and financing mechanisms. Over 100 staff members from across The UWI campuses participated.
This committee was established to strengthen coordination of grant mobilization efforts across The UWI campuses and to pursue grant funding for The UWI's five strategic priorities. The UGSC is chaired by OGPSF Director and includes Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Studies and Research and the Directors of MORI, CHORI, STA CIE and the Open Campus BDU and comprises key UWI stakeholders.
The OGPSF continued to compile and disseminate via its website and to members of the UGSC a monthly listing of CfPs issued by international development partners and research agencies to assist departments with increased access to opportunities for funding.
In September 2020, The UWI signed a landmark MoU with one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the world. The Open Society Foundations promotes justice, democratic governance and human rights.
The original MoU, which was signed in 2017, was renewed in September 2019 for an additional two years and now has a special provision for the establishment of a UWI-UNDP Public Policy Think Tank on the Blue Economy in the Caribbean, UNDP allocated USD 100,000 to fund the 2019–2020 work programme of the UWI-UNDP Public Policy Think Tank.
Approval was granted to The UWI in June 2020 to join the ACS Network of Social Actors and a MoU between The UWI and ACS was signed on October 27, 2020 to facilitate a collaborative work programme.
The OGPSF has continued to provide technical oversight of execution and reporting for CDB-funded projects including "The preparation of a Comprehensive Sport for Development Initiative for the New Faculty of Sport of The UWI" (USD 210,000) and "Enhancement of the UWItv Regional Project" (USD 130,000). The latter was successfully completed in June 2020, while the former will be completed in December 2020.
In collaboration with the University Marketing and Communications Office, the OGPSF is working in partnership with Loop Caribbean News to promote increased awareness of The UWI's research and advocacy on the SDGs. In June 2020, Loop News became the first Caribbean member organisation of the Media Compact for the United Nations SDGs. The strategic partnership between Loop and The UWI will advance The UWI's thought leadership and global recognition as an SDG-engaged university.
University Marketing & Communications Office
The University of the West Indies
868 662-2002 ext 84246 or 82316
universitymktgcomms@sta.uwi.edu
