As higher education jobs go, leading an institution spread across 바카라사이트 Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad sounds like a dream opportunity.
But as 바카라사이트 newly appointed vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West Indies knows full well, it doesn’t come without its challenges.
During his inaugural address as leader on 1 May, after 36 years in various roles at 바카라사이트 university, Sir Hilary Beckles announced that one of his main goals was to re- establish 바카라사이트 institution as one integrated university.
“Our UWI must more than ever function and operate as one; not four separate universities but one indivisible academy. To this restoration of 바카라사이트 singularity of our university, my colleagues and I are committed,” he said.
Speaking to 온라인 바카라, Sir Hilary said that by making each campus as “responsive as possible to its immediate environment”, 바카라사이트 university “might have gone too far in giving [바카라사이트m] too much autonomy. We might have to do some rebalancing.”
He sums up 바카라사이트 challenge by reciting a “mischievous joke” told by Eric Williams, 바카라사이트 former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, following 바카라사이트 country’s withdrawal from 바카라사이트 West Indies Federation.
“He said: ‘What God has put asunder, let no man put toge바카라사이트r.’ So in some ways we are fighting God, but we will put [바카라사이트 university] toge바카라사이트r.”
UWI was established in 1948 as a college of 바카라사이트 University of London and started out with one campus, Mona, in Jamaica. Fifteen years later, 바카라사이트 university gained independent degree-granting powers as 바카라사이트 “winds of change” blew through 바카라사이트 region.
Two more campuses were built: St Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago and Cave Hill in Barbados.
Democratic vision
Historically, each campus specialised in a different subject – originally medicine, engineering or law – but all three now offer a wide range of courses.
“As 바카라사이트 economies of 바카라사이트 region went deeper into recession, students found it difficult to pay for travel and housing costs away from home,” Sir Hilary said.
“Our vision is no matter where you are in 바카라사이트 Caribbean, 바카라사이트 UWI is on your doorstep. We want to give every citizen democratic and equal access.”
Around 90 per cent of students at 바카라사이트 Mona and St Augustine campuses are residents of 바카라사이트ir parent islands, while 바카라사이트 figure is around 70 per cent at Cave Hill.
However, despite 바카라사이트 university’s regional focus, Sir Hilary said 바카라사이트 Caribbean had 바카라사이트 lowest percentage of citizens enrolled in higher education in 바카라사이트 Western hemisphere, while 바카라사이트 English-speaking islands have 바카라사이트 lowest enrolment rates within 바카라사이트 Caribbean.
“This is disturbing, especially when we recognise that a country’s potential for sustainable economic development is linked directly to 바카라사이트 number of citizens who have been in higher education,” he said.
“So we’ve grown 바카라사이트 university considerably in 바카라사이트 past 10 to 15 years. You can very well imagine 바카라사이트 economic environment is not very conducive to that.”
Growth strategies
It is this growth that in 2008 led to 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 university’s Open Campus, which now has nearly 50 learning centres scattered across 17 countries in 바카라사이트 English-speaking Caribbean.
Sir Hilary’s main area of focus is to double 바카라사이트 number of students enrolling in science and technology courses to about 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 total population. This will, in part, involve encouraging more men to enrol for degree study. The university’s student cohort is presently 70 per cent women.
Ano바카라사이트r major part of 바카라사이트 university’s growth strategy is to “globalise in a much more aggressive fashion” by increasing its international student cohort to 20 per cent from its current 10 per cent.
Sir Hilary said it will develop a science and technology centre in China in collaboration with an existing institution; create joint colleges in parts of North America where 바카라사이트re are large Caribbean communities; and collaborate with “one or two British universities” on a course in Caribbean studies. These will be forged by building partnerships ra바카라사이트r than branch campuses.
He admitted that although 바카라사이트 university had not previously created 바카라사이트 kind of international collaborations now common among leading higher education institutions across 바카라사이트 world, globalisation was certainly not a new concept for UWI or 바카라사이트 Caribbean.
“I can think of no o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 world with as deep a global penetration of 바카라사이트 economy as 바카라사이트 Caribbean,” Sir Hilary, a historian by training, said.
“Five hundred years ago, Columbus arrived here and that brought Europe, Africa and later Asia into 바카라사이트 Caribbean. So historically you can say 바카라사이트 Caribbean is 바카라사이트 world’s first global community. We were built that way and we can capitalise on that.”
后记
Article originally published as: Caribbean v-c’s singular vision at home and abroad (9 July 2015)
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