Vice-chancellor's Overview
DX IN FOCUS
The UWI applied for and received a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank equivalent to US$6 million to fund a digital transformation project. In support of the financing, the University has received backing as follows: $2 million guaranteed by participating governments and $4 million guaranteed by Sagicor.
Professor Lloyd Waller was appointed One UWI Coordinator, Digital Transformation, and will oversee the implementation of the project. Another critical and enabling partnership brokered in the review year is that with Eon Reality, valued at US$25 million, which supports the Global Online strategy. It aids the creation of a digital Centre/ Lab primarily for the development of content using augmented and virtual reality tools.
The website redesign project, which began in 2019, was led by The UWI’s University Marketing and Communications Office and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, with general oversight by the University Registrar, Dr. Maurice D. Smith. According to University Director, Marketing and Communications, Dr. Rhonda Jaipaul-O’Garro, “It took on greater significance with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic because of the increased technological dependence in meeting stakeholder needs and advancing the University’s ongoing digital transformation strategy. The website is also a critical tool in strengthening The UWI’s visibility and engagement as a top-ranked university, currently positioned among the best 1.5% in the world.”
As part of the same website project, a key element of The UWI’s overall digital transformation focus, all five campus websites were also redesigned. In addition to the updated layout and content, the site redesigns featured a responsive design and a programme search function that allows users to easily access programme information directly from the homepages. The sites’ architecture was also reorganised so that information could be located more intuitively.
