News Releases

The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) have formally strengthened their longstanding collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management, UWI Cave Hill Campus on May 28, 2026.

The University of the West Indies (UWI) at Cave Hill has received international recognition for its readiness to engage in meaningful academic-industry partnerships.

As childhood inactivity and related health concerns continue to rise globally, new research from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Cave Hill Campus is drawing attention to how physical education is taught to young children in the Caribbean and the opportunities for improvement.

Neela Cezair-Valema, a recent Master of Science graduate in Sport Science from The UWI’s Faculty of Sport, has completed a study examining the role of physical literacy in shaping sport, physical activity, and physical education among children aged four to 11. Her work, which was supervised by Dr. Rudolph Alleyne, focuses on four Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.

At the heart of the research is the concept of physical literacy, which goes beyond traditional sports training. It includes the confidence, motivation, movement skills, knowledge, and understanding needed for individuals to stay active throughout their lives. Unlike conventional models that emphasise competition and performance, physical literacy promotes movement as an enjoyable and meaningful part of everyday living.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) wishes to advise prospective students, partners, and the general public of the existence of an unauthorised website falsely purporting to be affiliated with the University.

This website is not endorsed, affiliated with, or authorised by The UWI and appears to be using the University’s name and branding without permission, while misrepresenting a relationship with the institution.

The University also advises that the fraudulent website contains a personal data capture form. As this is not an official UWI website it must be underscored that any data submitted such as name, email address, telephone number, or any other personal information via that site is not received by The UWI.

Individuals who may have been affected by the misrepresentation are strongly advised to exercise increased caution regarding any follow-up communications claiming to be from The UWI. They should refrain from sharing additional personal or financial information in response to unsolicited messages and verify all communications exclusively through official University channels.

The staff and students of the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, mourn the loss of the Chief Fisheries Officer, Dr Shelly-Ann Cox.

Most Barbadians, as well as many of her friends and colleagues around the world, knew Shelly-Ann as a Chief Fisheries Officer who loved her job with passion and deeply valued her role in strengthening the structures and mechanisms for resilient fisheries development and sustainable management of fisheries resources and related livelihoods.

To CERMES, however, Shelly-Ann was an excellent MPhil and PhD student who had unmistakable focus on the value of knowledge and scholarship for development. By dint of hard work and scholarly promise, Shelly-Ann was appointed a postdoctoral researcher at CERMES to give life to her deep-seated interest in tightly linking knowledge and scholarship to development practice through applied research and projects. Shelly-Ann distinguished herself in this role, imbuing her love for the sea, fisheries and fisherfolk with youthful energy.  She developed strong relationships and communities among fisherfolk. Through these broader engagements, she understood the technological and scholarly constraints to sustainable fisheries management and never failed to seize an opportunity to discuss technological solutions to some of the problems. Prior to becoming the Chief Fisheries Officer, Shelly-Ann left her mark at CERMES as a promising young scholar with heart and hands trained on transforming fisheries development and management with science and technology anywhere in the world.

Swapping lecture theatres for hospital halls and notes for patient charts, 33 new graduates have stepped into the medical profession ready to make their rounds where care truly begins.

The number feels familiar for a reason. Seventy-eight years ago, 33 students were The UWI’s entire medical intake, a modest beginning that now echoes in a much larger story.

The graduates from Cave Hill’s Faculty of Medical Sciences officially entered the profession after taking the Hippocratic Oath at a ceremony held June 15, as proud family members, friends and well-wishers filled the room with loud cheers and applause.

This full-circle moment underscores both how far the programme has come and how firmly it continues to stand.

The new doctors, all from the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme, included eight men and represent the culmination of years of rigorous training, long nights and unwavering determination.

Seeds planted over the past seven weeks at the Frederick Smith Secondary School have yielded far more than crops of leafy greens. They have produced young leaders, budding entrepreneurs and a blueprint for educational transformation.

Through the “Learning Cooperative: Securing Futures, Saving Lives” initiative, spearheaded by The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Cave Hill Campus, in partnership with Frederick Smith Secondary School (FSSS), fifteen male students participated in a structured, seven-week programme designed to integrate agriculture, and social-emotional learning while strengthening academic skills and leadership capacity through hands-on, production-based learning.

Led by the School of Education (SOE) and the Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation (CAGRI) at The UWI Cave Hill, the 15 students were also introduced to entrepreneurship through the development of value-added products, including pesto and ice cream made from their own harvest.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is contributing to critical global research tackling chronic kidney disease (CKD). Dr Lori-Ann Fisher, a Consultant Nephrologist, Intensivist, and Lecturer at the Epidemiology Research Unit of the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) at The UWI, is one of the international experts featured in a landmark series on the disease published in The Lancet.

Led by Dr Jennifer Lees of the University of Glasgow, the new landmark series of papers highlights CKD as a rapidly escalating global health crisis and calls for urgent improvements in early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. Dr Lees noted, “Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most concerning conditions currently impacting global health. The overriding message from our series of research papers is that there remains a pressing need for attention and resources to be focused on this condition.”

Chronic kidney disease is currently the ninth leading cause of death globally and affects an estimated 844 million people worldwide, with projections indicating it could become the fifth leading cause of death by 2040. Despite its scale, CKD remains significantly underdiagnosed, particularly in regions like the Caribbean where awareness and routine screening remain limited.

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.