The UWI Cave Hill Campus, Barbados. Friday, January 20, 2023—Monthly historic parish hikes, sharing scholarship through lectures and other learning activities, as well as an educational bus tour on Emancipation Day are among a raft of yearlong outreach activities planned to mark the 60th anniversary of The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus which dovetails with the regional University’s 75th anniversary. Cave Hill, the third landed campus of The UWI community, opened in 1963 at a temporary location at the Deep-Water Harbour, before moving to its current location in 1967.
The 60th anniversary celebrations themed ‘Resolute and Resilient’ officially begin with a festive parade around the Campus on Friday, February 20, starting at 2:00 pm (Eastern Caribbean time).
Addressing a media launch on Thursday, January 19, Prime Minister Mia Mottley, said via a recorded message that The UWI Cave Hill Campus has made a defining difference in the quality of life of the people of Barbados and the wider region, and has a critical role in their future development.
“It therefore means that we need to produce our students to be able to truly be global citizens with Bajan or Caribbean roots, recognising that it is only in partnership with others elsewhere in the world in pursuit of scholarship, in pursuit of knowledge, in pursuit of a humanising influence, in pursuit of being a disruptor, to do better than we were doing before. It is only against that backdrop that The University of the West Indies will remain that vital body, especially with Cave Hill as one of the campuses, that will make a difference, not just in Caribbean civilization, Barbadian development, but to global stability and prosperity,” she added.
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Clive Landis lauded the growth of the institution over the past six decades and noted that the calendar of events includes a heavy focus on outreach.
“This is consistent with the Cave Hill 2022-2027 operational strategy themed ‘Creating Value from our Ideas’, as we seek to translate our strengths in research into creating value for society, but also not forgetting to create value for the University itself through entrepreneurial activities,” he stated.
Reflecting on the history of the institution, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, who served as Principal of the Cave Hill Campus in Barbados for thirteen years (2002-2015), pointed to the Campus’s contribution to the development of Barbados and the region.
“Cave Hill was the engine that drove this country away from its colonial scaffold and put it on the highway to development. That could not have been done without the Cave Hill campus. Today, we celebrate 60 years of vision, 60 years of public investment, 60 years of a community that embraced its university, a community that became attached. “Cave Hill did not let this country down; it did not let this region down; it did not let this University down. It carried its responsibility with purpose, with passion, and with dignity,” he added.
Chairman of the Cave Hill Campus Council, Sir Paul Altman hailed the campus’s remarkable history adding: “Cave Hill has grown into one of the most beautiful campuses anywhere in the world, but the most exciting part … has been its contribution to the minds and development of Barbadians, other Caribbean people and beyond.”
END.
About The University of the West Indies
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.
Learn more at www.uwi.edu
