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Departments, Specialised Units and Centres Highlights

SIR ARTHUR LEWIS INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL & ECONOMIC STUDIES

Notwithstanding the persistent challenges posed by the pandemic, the Institute continued to deliver on its mission and vision in the areas of research, teaching and academic supervision as well as outreach during the review period. The staff on all three campuses remained passionate and committed and SALISES was able to maintain its position as the number one social science research institute, a knowledge- and thought-producing entity, a prominent policy influencer in the region and a home for graduate research enhancement. Guided by the Institute’s strategic goals of Transformation, Excellence, Accountability and Mission-Driven (T.E.A.M), we were able to meet most of our strategic targets.

In terms of access, the second year of the online MSc in Development Studies was successful as 31 new students joined us. Twenty MSc students graduated in November 2022. These graduates include the first online cohort of 18 students who will graduate with an MSc in the newly introduced concentrations: General, Economic Development Policy, Governance and Public Policy and Social Policy Development in November. SALISES continued to partner with the Global Partnership Network (GPN) to provide scholarships for students pursuing its programmes, totalling US$14,000 for the year in review. The Master of Science in Development Statistics has been successful in attracting mainly overseas students. For the 2021/2022 academic year, the programme attracted six students from the Turks and Caicos Islands in one haul. It should be noted that the Turks and Caicos Islands has not been a traditional source of students registered at The University of the West Indies.

SALISES academic staff also produced significant research and engaged in numerous intellectual public engagements. Academic staff across the three SALISES campus units reported twenty-four peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Corin Bailey, Senior Fellow, was promoted to the UWI’s highest academic rank of Professor in the area of Sociology, Crime and Social Inequality, and Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee, University Director, was promoted to Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Board for Graduate Studies.

SALISES’ research work continues to be aligned to the needs of small island developing states (SIDS). Numerous conferences and seminars were held that addressed developmental issues affecting SIDS. They were all very well received. SALISES' culture is driven by principles of transformation, excellence, accountability, and mission-driven work (TEAM). Great agility was shown by SALISES academic staff as they continued to make their mark; winning national, regional and international projects and attracting research funds. Undoubtedly, SALISES’ work continues to contribute to The UWI’s high ranking, regionally and internationally.

ACCESS

Improving the quality of teaching, learning and student development

SALISES partnered with the Global Partnership Network (GPN) to provide scholarships for students pursuing its programmes. The GPN provided three new scholarships at a value of US$14,000.00 for students pursuing the MSc in Development Studies online programme.

Additionally, a MPhil student was awarded the Thomas Sankara Scholarship at a value of 800 euros per month for the period October 2021–2024. The Thomas Sankara PhD Scholarship is named after Thomas Sankara, an outstanding personality from the global south, whose ideas and practices of resisting neo-colonialism and promoting independent pathways for countries of the global South are deemed to inspire the work of the Global Partnership Graduate School

Number of Research Publications in ranked Refereed Journals

Academic staff continued to contribute new publications to the scholarly community. Staff reported twenty-four peer-reviewed publications across the three Campuses: St. Augustine – 16, Cave Hill –2 and Mona – 6.

ALIGNMENT

Promote greater Activism and Public Advocacy

Numerous conferences and seminars were held that addressed developmental issues affecting small island developing states (SIDS). Among these were:

  • SALISES Sixth Formers’ Webinar, St. Augustine Campus, January 28, 2022
  • Sir Arthur Lewis Virtual Distinguished Lecture hosted by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and SALISES, Mona Campus – “Sustained Economic Recovery Post Pandemic: The Lewis Model.” Lecture was delivered by Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary General, April 26, 2022.
  • 23rd Annual SALISES Conference under the theme – “Caribbean Lives, Disruptions, Resilience and the Way Forward,” May 3–4, 2022
  • The Russia-Ukraine War Geo-Strategic Perspectives: Interests and Implications, St. Augustine Campus, June 10, 2022
  • Counteracting the Scourge of Violence Against Women in Caribbean Societies – Towards Remedial Action in Response to Theory and Evidence – Informed Studies, St. Augustine Campus, July 29, 2022
  • 16th Annual Caribbean Child Research Conference, SALISES, Cave Hill Campus, “Almost Two Years! COVID-19, Children’s Rights and SDGS: Challenges and Opportunities,” November 24-25, 2022;
 

Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General CARICOM - SALISES Distinguished Virtual Lecture 2022

Prof. Aldrie Henry Lee and Dr. Carla Barnett, SALISES Distinguished Virtual Lecture 2022

16th Annual Caribbean Child Research Online Conference Youth Panel- November 2022

Increase and improve academic/industry Research Partnerships

Academic and industry research partnerships were forged on regional and global issues in the form of grants and commissioned research. These included:

  • Global Partnership Network – Creating Alternative Modes of Development Cooperation for Food Sovereignty and Reparatory Justice Grant
  • CIBC First Caribbean International Research Grant
  • UNDP RBLAC Research Centres Network Grant
  • ESRC Impact Project – Teaching Climate Justice
  • World Resources Institute – NDC Partnership Climate Project
  • 2021/2022 Youth Resilience in the Caribbean, USAID
  • World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey – the basis for the upcoming `Global Competitiveness Report` on Barbados, World Economic Forum
  • The Development of a Comprehensive Wealth Index for Trinidad and Tobago – International Institute for Sustainable Development
  • Multiple Open Online Course (MOOC) on Administrative Data Collection Pertaining to Violence Against Women and Girls in Caribbean Societies – UN Women

AGILITY (A4) – FOSTER A CREATIVE, CARING, ACCOUNTABLE, MOTIVATED, PROFESSIONAL (CAMP) TEAM

SALISES culture is driven by principles of transformation, excellence, accountability and mission-driven work (TEAM). Staff continued to excel and were recognised as follows:

  • Dr. Corin Bailey was promoted to the rank of Professor in February 2022. His Professorship is in the area of Sociology, Crime and Social Inequality.
  • Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee was promoted to Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Board for Graduate Studies and Research effective August 1, 2022.
  • Mr. Richard McTaggart, Employee of the Semester (I), 2021/2022
  • Dr. Dacia Leslie – Excellence in Teaching and Top Researcher for co-edited book; Biholar, R., & Leslie, D. L. (Eds.). (2022). Critical Caribbean Perspectives on Preventing Gender-based Violence. London: Routledge
  • Dr. Natalie Dietrich Jones – Excellence in Teaching
  • Dr. Stephen Johnson – Excellence in Teaching
  • Dr. Kevin Williams – Excellence in Teaching