The UWI Regional Headquarters Jamaica. 09 February 2018—The Office of the Vice-Chancellor at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Jeremy Collymore as Resilience Consultant/Advisor. Mr. Collymore is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University’s Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD). His new role is focused on efforts to consolidate and operationalise The UWI’s commitment to strengthening its capacity to support the Caribbean region in the development of a culture of resilience and resilience planning as part of the continued implementation of its Triple A Strategy. The appointment which became effective on November 1, 2017, is for a period of 18 months.
The Triple A Strategy explicitly identifies the symbiotic relationship between The UWI and Caribbean economies, and the need for both to work closely together to strengthen the competitive position of regional economies and advance a culture of resilient development. The University also recognises sustainability and resilience as the DNA of the development agenda of the Caribbean region. Disasters have served as evidence of the need for change in public policy and practice and create opportunities to alter the risk profile of the communities served by The UWI. Indeed, the hurricane events of 2017 have reinforced the urgency of moving towards a culture of resilience in the Caribbean.
Mr. Collymore will lead this effort to create a culture of resilience and resilience planning, working closely with Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dale Webber, who has the portfolio for sustainable development. In consultation with other stakeholders, they will advance The UWI’s advocacy for a disaster/environment resilient culture in the Caribbean.
Speaking on the appointment, Vice-Chancellor Beckles said, “I am delighted to have a seasoned and committed advocate for resilience to be part of The UWI’s efforts to help frame a regional alliance towards a culture of resilient development,” adding, “we look forward to consultation and close collaboration with key regional organisations in the framing of this alliance through injection of resiliency considerations into the sustainable development process.”
More about Mr Jeremy Collymore
Mr. Collymore is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at The UWI’s Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD). Prior to this he served as the Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) from its inception in 1991 until he demitted office in April 2013. His other major appointments included lecturer and visiting lecturer in the Department of Geography at Mona, Assistant to the Director in the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, at Cave Hill, Disaster Specialist in UNDRO (now UN OCHA) at the Pan Caribbean Disaster and Prevention Project, Antigua and Barbuda.
Mr. Collymore brings a blend of academic, policy and operations experience to the agenda for resilience. This is in addition to his extensive experience in engaging high level decision-makers including Heads of Governments, sector leaders and professional associations whilst at CDEMA.
Globally recognised for his work in championing comprehensive risk management, Mr. Collymore is the key architect of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) strategy which is a roadmap for building resilience capacity for reducing disaster risk in the Caribbean. In addition, he has served on many regional and international think tanks and advisory groups which promote integrated risk management and is a frequently invited/ key note speaker at regional and international fora on resilience.
Mr. Collymore has written and published extensively on Disaster Risk Management (DRM), including contributing to the preparation of technical background papers for regional and international fora including the Global and Regional Early Warning Systems Conference 2003; the Yokohama Strategy for DRM 1994; UN FCCC Technical Paper on the Integration of DRM and CCA into development planning and policy 2008; the International Recovery Platform 2011; Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Humanitarian Summit 2015 and CDM Annual Conferences.
Recognition of his contribution to disaster risk management and resilience include: The Barbados Service Star (BSS) for work in DRM at the national, regional and international levels, November 2016; Department of Geography, University of West Indies Trail Blazer Jubilee Award for leadership in Comprehensive Disaster Management, July 2016; first recipient of the CDEMA Ministerial Council Award for distinguished service in DRM, December 2015; designated Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Sustainable Development, University of the West Indies 2013; First Recipient Award of the Idris Hamid Memorial Scholarship 1982; National Hurricane Conference Leadership Award 1996.
About The UWI
Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, and oldest higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology and Social Sciences as well as the newly created Faculty of Sports Sciences. The UWI’s priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. For more information, visit www.uwi.edu
(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
The Triple A Strategy explicitly identifies the symbiotic relationship between The UWI and Caribbean economies, and the need for both to work closely together to strengthen the competitive position of regional economies and advance a culture of resilient development. The University also recognises sustainability and resilience as the DNA of the development agenda of the Caribbean region. Disasters have served as evidence of the need for change in public policy and practice and create opportunities to alter the risk profile of the communities served by The UWI. Indeed, the hurricane events of 2017 have reinforced the urgency of moving towards a culture of resilience in the Caribbean.
Mr. Collymore will lead this effort to create a culture of resilience and resilience planning, working closely with Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dale Webber, who has the portfolio for sustainable development. In consultation with other stakeholders, they will advance The UWI’s advocacy for a disaster/environment resilient culture in the Caribbean.
Speaking on the appointment, Vice-Chancellor Beckles said, “I am delighted to have a seasoned and committed advocate for resilience to be part of The UWI’s efforts to help frame a regional alliance towards a culture of resilient development,” adding, “we look forward to consultation and close collaboration with key regional organisations in the framing of this alliance through injection of resiliency considerations into the sustainable development process.”
More about Mr Jeremy Collymore
Mr. Collymore is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at The UWI’s Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD). Prior to this he served as the Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) from its inception in 1991 until he demitted office in April 2013. His other major appointments included lecturer and visiting lecturer in the Department of Geography at Mona, Assistant to the Director in the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, at Cave Hill, Disaster Specialist in UNDRO (now UN OCHA) at the Pan Caribbean Disaster and Prevention Project, Antigua and Barbuda.
Mr. Collymore brings a blend of academic, policy and operations experience to the agenda for resilience. This is in addition to his extensive experience in engaging high level decision-makers including Heads of Governments, sector leaders and professional associations whilst at CDEMA.
Globally recognised for his work in championing comprehensive risk management, Mr. Collymore is the key architect of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) strategy which is a roadmap for building resilience capacity for reducing disaster risk in the Caribbean. In addition, he has served on many regional and international think tanks and advisory groups which promote integrated risk management and is a frequently invited/ key note speaker at regional and international fora on resilience.
Mr. Collymore has written and published extensively on Disaster Risk Management (DRM), including contributing to the preparation of technical background papers for regional and international fora including the Global and Regional Early Warning Systems Conference 2003; the Yokohama Strategy for DRM 1994; UN FCCC Technical Paper on the Integration of DRM and CCA into development planning and policy 2008; the International Recovery Platform 2011; Regional Preparatory Meeting for the World Humanitarian Summit 2015 and CDM Annual Conferences.
Recognition of his contribution to disaster risk management and resilience include: The Barbados Service Star (BSS) for work in DRM at the national, regional and international levels, November 2016; Department of Geography, University of West Indies Trail Blazer Jubilee Award for leadership in Comprehensive Disaster Management, July 2016; first recipient of the CDEMA Ministerial Council Award for distinguished service in DRM, December 2015; designated Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Sustainable Development, University of the West Indies 2013; First Recipient Award of the Idris Hamid Memorial Scholarship 1982; National Hurricane Conference Leadership Award 1996.
About The UWI
Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, and oldest higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology and Social Sciences as well as the newly created Faculty of Sports Sciences. The UWI’s priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. For more information, visit www.uwi.edu
(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
