News Releases

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has announced the promotion of Dr. Michael Campbell to the rank of Professor, effective March 12, 2026.

He is now Professor of Psychology and Global Health, and is one of eight academics across The UWI campuses who were awarded the pinnacle of academic recognition that month based on their sustained commitment to addressing pressing challenges of Caribbean and global importance and scholarly work.

As a leading voice in mental health research, particularly within Small Island Developing States, Professor Campbell’s work spans climate and disaster mental health, psychometric validation, the wellbeing of young adults and sexual minorities, and the ethical conduct of research involving vulnerable populations.

As the world watched the deadly hantavirus outbreak unfold on a cruise ship, with approximately a dozen cases and three deaths reported, a Caribbean scientist has stepped into the global spotlight, warning that the real story goes far beyond a single vessel.

Senior scientist at The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Dr. Kirk Douglas is bringing a critical Caribbean perspective to the unfolding situation by showing how climate change could be quietly increasing the risk of dangerous viral outbreaks like this one.

Dr. Douglas, Director of the Centre for Biosecurity Studies, has spent years studying hantaviruses, diseases typically spread by rodents, and how environmental change is reshaping their behaviour.

Perspectives that guided more than three decades of essential Caribbean health research can be found in The Story of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill, launched in May 2026.

Co-authored by Henry Fraser, Simon Anderson, Ian Hambleton, Anselm Hennis, Clive Landis, Alafia Samuels, Marshall Tulloch-Reid and Nigel Unwin, the publication traces the evolution of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GA-CDRC) from a modest three-room facility to an internationally-recognised institution.

Emeritus Professor Sir Henry Fraser highlighted that the Centre’s achievements were driven by persistence, strong partnerships and a belief that Barbados could produce world-class science.  What began as a small operation has grown into a research hub with global reach, grounded in collaboration across The UWI, government agencies, clinicians, donors and communities. Sir Henry emphasized that the Centre’s success belongs not to individuals, but to a sustained network of contributors.

A new partnership between The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Cave Hill Campus, and FundAccess could help reshape Barbados’ agricultural landscape, following the launch of the Agri-Grow Agricultural Enterprise Development Programme at the 3Ws Pavilion on May 27, 2026.

The initiative was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between FundAccess and The UWI Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI). It brings together academic expertise and enterprise support to strengthen the sector.

Speaking at the launch, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Cave Hill Campus, Professor Clive Landis, said the programme represents a decisive effort to ensure research delivers real, measurable benefits to the farming community.

He noted that Barbados has long faced a disconnect between agricultural research and the practical challenges experienced by farmers.

“Academic insights lose their value if they remain locked in reports,” he said, and explained that the programme is designed to “resolve that disconnect once and for all.”

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.

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.