The UWI Vice-Chancellor’s Report to University Council

INSTITUTES, CENTRES & FACULTIES IN FOCUS

RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT) – partner (Europe) and 100% ZEB, Smart Island, Guadeloupe – partner (Startup Caribbean). The project is funded by the INTERREG CARAIBES- EDF. The UWI-SARGOOD project focuses on optimizing plant biostimulant production and evaluation, understanding the mechanisms of action of active biomolecules, and optimizing Sargassum-based value- added compost production for plant and crop use. FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, MONA OAS SPECIALISED DEMOCRACY AND ELECTIONS WORKSHOP In collaboration with the OAS’ Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation, the Faculty hosted a workshop on democracy and elections. This workshop provided insights into electoral observation and encouraged citizen participation in electoral processes. This was one of the Faculty’s key initiatives to enhance global engagement. PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT SERIES The Faculty hosted a Partnerships for Development Series which involved collaborations with various international entities, including embassies and foundations, to help to enrich student experiences. Goals included increasing international exchange programmes, inviting guest lecturers, and co-hosting workshops and seminars.

INITIATIVES TO EXPAND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT The Faculty undertook several collaborations with other universities. These included: • A joint new course titled Caribbean Cultures and Heritage: Debating Cultural Curatorship (SOCI6121), offered by the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work and the University of St. Andrews (Scotland). • Discussion held for dual degree programmes with St. Mary’s University, Canada. • Participation in conferences, guest lectures and partnership efforts with following universities, such as: Yale, Brown, McGill, Tokyo Metropolitan, and Queen’s.

The Faculty strengthened its academic-industry research collaborations through various initiatives. These included: • The Government of Jamaica’s announcement, through the Minister of Finance and the Public Service, of a JA$200 million endowment for the establishment of a Fiscal Research Centre in the Department of Economics.

The Department of Government’s hosting of lecturers on international relations, sustainable development and policy analysis, in partnership with the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Jamaica Office.

• The MSBM’s initiated partnership with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) for final projects with graduate students, enhancing industry-academic collaboration. • The SALISES’ involvement with the World Bank’s Caribbean launch of the 2023 World Development

FACULTY OF SPORT

COMMITTED TO CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA The Faculty remained committed to its climate action agenda and proposals submitted through the Global Institute for Climate-smart and Resilient Development (GICSRD) on rainwater harvesting and solar electricity generating systems were accepted. A sub-committee was formed to further develop the proposals to access donor funding. Mona later submitted a grant application to procure funding to expand the wastewater project to irrigate the three main fields at the Mona Bowl.

Report: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies, and review of the background paper titled “International Migration in the Caribbean”.

• The Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work’s collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to develop and validate a data appreciation tool for the UNFPA’s Data Appreciation Project.

MELBOURNE POLYTECHNIC

The MoU with Melbourne Polytechnic was signed in August 2022. In the first year of collaboration, the parties worked on the development of an International Sports Turf programme.

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