The UWI thanks the Commission on Governance

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. W.I. Thursday, March 10, 2022. — The following statement supersedes the prior statement issued on March 7, 2022 and the representations made therein.

Following the specially convened sitting of The University of the West Indies’ highest governing body— University Council—on Friday, March 4, The UWI expresses thanks to the members of the independent Chancellor’s Commission on Governance chaired by the Rt. Hon. Sir Dennis Byron, for the diligence, meticulous work and continued commitment to the institution and its growth.

In its March 4 deliberations, the University Council accepted the recommendations from the Review Committee chaired by Dr. Maurice Smith, that the Byron Report be adopted with the following exceptions:

Neither Council nor its Review Committee considered the Governance Commission’s recommended adjustment to the tuition-funding model. Council did not dwell upon this recommendation, having determined that the matter was outside the scope of the Review Committee’s terms of reference. Rather, the remit is that of the University Grants Committee where contributing governments could collectively opine.
The Council agreed to the retention of the University Finance and General Purposes Committee (U-F&GPC)—but in a modified form—redefined as a management committee, and with a revised membership.
The Council agreed to the naming of an Implementation Committee by the Chancellor, in consultation with the Vice-Chancellor and University Registrar, to execute the agreed recommendations.

One of the changes will be the establishment of an Oversight Committee of Council to handle policy matters between its annual meetings. This Oversight Committee, which will be chaired by the Chancellor, would comprise members including the Chairs of Advisory Committees, to be named by Council.

Over the past two years, the University community and its wider base of external stakeholders have shown considerable interest in the work and recommendations of the Commission on Governance and the Council’s decisions in respect of the same.

The University assures of its steadfastness in continuing the work to advance the decisions unanimously approved by Council.

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.

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 10 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). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

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, it is also in the top 20 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.

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.