UWI Encourages Workplace Support for Mid-career Upskilling
March 20, 2026
Professor Clive Landis, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal
A call has gone out for employers to give mid-career professionals the time and space needed to continue their education. It comes as The UWI Cave Hill works to address a decline in mature and part-time student enrolment.
Speaking at a recent Campus Council meeting, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Clive Landis highlighted a growing imbalance in the student population.
“Our student numbers in the age group below 30 are higher than ever, but what we’ve lost is the older students. It is just shrinking and shrinking, and there’s an unprecedented number of students on our campus who are between [the ages of] 16 and 20,” he said.
This follows a government policy shift in the 2014/2015 academic year which required Barbadian students to pay 20% of their tuition fees. This led to a sharp decline in enrolment. Although a subsequent administration reversed the policy in 2018, mature and part-time student numbers have not fully rebounded.
Professor Landis said the impact is being felt beyond the university, pointing to a wider gap in workforce development.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that, both in the private sector and the public sector, we have lost a lot of the professional development of mid-career professionals,” he said, noting that some individuals may be turning to alternative educators providers such as Coursera.
In response, Cave Hill has been redesigning programmes to better accommodate working adults, with increased flexibility and expanded online delivery to allow students to pursue qualifications without stepping away from their jobs.
“We are able to attract and equip school leavers with everything they need to help drive economic development in Barbados,” he added.
