News Releases

Abergower Ltd., a UK‑based digitisation company, and The University of the West Indies (The UWI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will help advance digital transformation across the campuses and boost student innovation.

The MOU brings to a close more than a year of sustained dialogue with the company, which has a regional head office in Barbados. The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration focused on digitally-enabled teaching, research, and innovation.

The two institutions will work to strengthen research and development activities aligned with real‑world industry needs, explore opportunities for commercialisation and technology transfer, and support the development of future‑ready talent through collaborative education and training initiatives.

Aligned with the OneUWI Digital Transformation Programme, the partnership is designed to promote deeper learning, strengthen institutional relationships, and create new opportunities for innovation, applied research, and commercial engagement. It is also expected to contribute to Barbados’ ongoing efforts to establish itself as a hub for innovation and knowledge‑driven enterprise.

Experts are warning that without strong data protection safeguards and firm control over intellectual property, the Caribbean’s push towards a more integrated digital healthcare system could undermine both public trust and economic value.

Barbados’ Data Protection Commissioner, Lisa Greaves, stressed that rapid digitisation brings significant risks and that privacy should, therefore, be entrenched from the outset. She said data protection is ultimately about people and not simply about compliance.

At the same time, attorney-at-law and intellectual property (IP) and innovation expert Carla Parris contended that the Caribbean’s challenge lies not in a lack of creativity, but in a failure to assert ownership.

The two were among a host of specialists who addressed the recently-held Digital Health Symposium, jointly hosted by the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Cave Hill Campus, and FutureHEALTH.

Minister of Training and Tertiary Education Sandra Husbands has praised The University of the West Indies (UWI) for taking a leading role in reshaping healthcare delivery in the Caribbean.

Addressing participants at the Digital Health Symposium held from May 13-14, Minister Husbands commended UWI’s forward‑looking approach, particularly its leadership in advancing digital health through collaboration and innovation.

“The University must be more than a repository of knowledge; it must be an engine of transformation, and that is what we’re witnessing here,” she said. “It must look outward, not inward. It must engage the real needs of the communities it serves, and it must commit itself to solving the problems that define our time. UWI is making that move.”

She said that such efforts are only possible through strong partnership and noted: “When government, academia, industry and civil society come together, we move from isolated efforts to integrated solutions. We build ecosystems, not just projects, and we create pathways for innovation that are sustained and not sporadic.”

The Minister made special mention of the partnership that underpinned the symposium as a model for the region. The initiative was jointly organised by the Faculty of Medical Sciences and FutureHEALTH, a health innovation initiative co‑funded by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Lab and FutureBARBADOS.

Concerns about healthcare worker buy‑in, technological barriers and the risks of a one‑size‑fits‑all approach have emerged as key challenges in efforts to transform healthcare through digital solutions.

These issues were highlighted during the Digital Health Symposium, held from May 13 to 14 at the Clinical Skills Complex, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus.

While the event showcased advances in artificial intelligence, data systems and innovation, speakers stressed that digital transformation requires not only a technical shift but a human one. Securing the support of healthcare workers was identified as a major obstacle to progress.

Former Chief Information Officer of the National Health Service (NHS) in Wales and Chief Executive Officer of the Federation for Informatics Professionals, Andrew Griffiths, said the central issue is ensuring staff are ready for change.

“The key challenge for us is how do we make sure that our workforce is receptive to the changes… with the changes in the amount and quality of the data.”

However, many healthcare systems are already under strain, with staff shortages and burnout raising concerns that poorly implemented technologies could worsen these conditions rather than ease them.

“Silent but Serious”: Barbados Urged to Check Blood Pressure Before It’s Too Late
World Hypertension Day highlights growing stroke burden and the hidden danger of high blood pressure

A headache that won’t go away. Feeling dizzy or unusually tired. Blurred vision that comes and goes. For many people, these symptoms are brushed aside, or never appear at all. Yet
high blood pressure, often called the “silent killer,” remains one of the leading causes of stroke, heart disease and kidney disease in Barbados and worldwide.

This World Hypertension Day, the Barbados National Registry for Chronic NCDs (BNR) and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB) are urging Barbadians to “Check it.
Control it. Live longer.”

New 2023 data from the BNR show that stroke continues to place a growing burden on  Barbados’ health system. In 2023, the Registry recorded 624 strokes, 312 in women and 312
in men, with stroke admissions remaining consistently above the five-year average. Across
the past decade, stroke rates in Barbados have risen sharply, reaching levels around 60%
higher than at the start of the decade.

A Digital Health Symposium will be staged in Barbados next week that will place the spotlight on how technology can strengthen Caribbean health systems and improve patient care within the country and across the region.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has entered a major international collaboration with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) aimed at strengthening academic integrity amid the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education.

The practical part of the partnership is The UWI’s participation in the UWS’ IntegraGuard Project, a platform for managing academic misconduct. The Proof-of-Concept project positions The UWI among a select group of international universities working alongside UWS to re‑imagine integrity systems that are fair, data‑driven, transparent and future‑ready.

Through the IntegraGuard Proof‑of‑Concept, The UWI is working closely with UWS to test and refine an integrated academic integrity management system that brings together AI‑assisted detection, investigation workflows, policy compliance and institutional reporting. The engagement also supports plans to strengthen academic governance and advance a unified, One UWI approach to academic integrity across its multi‑campus environment.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Juliet Daniel, a distinguished Barbadian-Canadian cancer biologist.

The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus is set to strengthen its sport education offerings with the introduction of postgraduate programmes in the upcoming academic year.

The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus has secured a regional partnership with the Government of Belize to support the training of nurses, in a move expected to strengthen healthcare capacity while generating economic benefits for Barbados.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Clive Landis, announced the $500,000 contract during a recent Campus Council meeting, describing the initiative as both timely and impactful.