News Releases

PhD student Shamelle Rice has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence in the category of Public and Civic Contributions.

Shamelle is a fierce and vibrant leader who exemplifies feminist transformational leadership. She founded and directs Jabez House, Barbados’ flagship organisation which serves women sex workers and their families, one of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in Barbados who disproportionately experience gendered and sexual violence, poverty and social and economic marginality.

From economic empowerment to psychosocial support, community building to skills training, Jabez House prioritises the needs of sex-working women from across the Caribbean, affirming their right to be, their right to a good life and to decent work.  This is life-giving and sustaining work to which Shamelle has been committed since 2012, and which has reached over 800 women from several Caribbean countries.

As Barbados joins the rest of the world in marking World Cancer Day, new national data reveal that nearly 1,000 Barbadians are diagnosed with cancer each year, with too many cases still being identified at a late stage—when treatment is more difficult and survival rates are lower.

According to the latest findings from the Barbados National Registry (BNR), covering the years 2013 to 2022, cancer incidence in Barbados remains higher than the global average. In 2022 alone, 983 new cancer cases were recorded, affecting approximately one in every 300 people on the island.

The report shows that breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers continue to be the most common and the deadliest. Prostate cancer accounts for nearly half of all cancers diagnosed among men, while breast cancer remains the leading cancer among women. Colorectal cancer affects both sexes and continues to be a major cause of illness and death.  Although slightly more women are diagnosed with cancer overall, men experience higher cancer rates, largely driven by prostate cancer.

The Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS) joins our regional and global communities in marking the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 – December 10, 2025). This year, our priority actions focus on:

• Confronting technology-facilitated sexual and gender-based violence in line with the UN theme “UNiTe to End Digital Violence against Women and Girls.”
• Embedding gender and social inclusion in disaster preparedness and recovery, especially in the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact across the Caribbean.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is set to continue its tradition of recognising exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields. During the 2025 graduation ceremonies, 11 distinguished graduates will be awarded honorary degrees. These ceremonies are scheduled to take place from October 11 to November 8, 2025, across the five UWI campuses.

The University of the West Indies Press (UWI Press) is pleased to announce that two of its publications have received distinguished Caribbean awards. these are: “Near a Plantation: Free Villages of Barbados, 1840-1945” by Professor Emeritus Sir Woodville Marshall, and “Politics in an Island State: Wills O. Isaacs and Jamaica’s Struggle for Development” by Professor Emerita Diane Austin-Broos.

The School for Graduate Studies and Research of The UWI Cave Hill Campus has been officially renamed in honour of Emerita Professor, the Most Honourable V. Eudine Barriteau.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) proudly announces the launch of the One-UWI Transdisciplinary Disaster Risk Management and Resilience Research Cluster—a groundbreaking initiative that underscores the critical need for multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to solving complex research problems tied to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the area of disaster management.

The following is a statement from Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles on the passing of renowned Caribbean-born scientist, Professor Emeritus Sir Geoff Palmer:
 

The following is a statement from Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, on the passing of Professor Emerita Hazel Simmons-McDonald:
 

The UWI Cave Hill Campus mourns the passing of distinguished academic, Professor Emerita Hazel Simmons- McDonald.