Show your Pelican Pride!
Dynamic, responsive, student-centred, research driven – those are the words that students, alumni, faculty and staff at the University of the West Indies (UWI) use to describe their institution.
UWI as it is fondly called, has a reputation for academic excellence and vision which extends beyond its three campuses and 12 academic centres in 15 Caribbean countries. UWI adapts to meet the needs of both students and employers in a rapidly changing global economy.
Founded in 1948, the UWI is a prestigious research university, committed to quality in teaching, research, economic development and Caribbean culture. It offers undergraduate, masters and doctoral programmes in over 300 subject areas and makes educational opportunities more accessible to both traditional and professional students.
Students also engage in more than 100 leadership and community-service organizations that can train them for the future and balance their education with extracurricular activities.
With a student body of more than 35,000, The University of the West Indies has a history rich with Caribbean tradition and a future with endless possibilities.
Points of Pride
The University’s Charter – The Royal Charter and Statutes of the University College of the West Indies were approved by the Privy Council in 1948 and the new Royal Charter constituting and founding The University of the West Indies as a degree-granting institution was passed under the Great Seal of the Realm on April 2, 1962, with Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, as the first Chancellor.
The UWI Motto – “Oriens Ex Occidente Lux” which means “Light rising from the West” – established in 1949.
Three Campuses (Cave Hill, Barbados, Mona, Jamaica and St. Augustine Trinidad) and 12 UWI Centres, also known as the UWI 12 ( Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
Campus Colours: Cave Hill – Yellow, Mona – Red, St. Augustine – Blue
The University Song – “There is a Light”
Campus Slogans:
Cave Hill – “Our Graduates are the Caribbean’s Leaders: Join the tradition of excellence”
Mona – “UWI – Your Place to Shine”
St. Augustine – “The University of Choice”
The UWI Coat of Arms
Our Coat of Arms is the single image that can represent the entire University. The crest or top is a brown Pelican which fishes along the coasts of all Caribbean countries. It is a symbol of care for the young because of the belief that it is very nurturing. It is also used as a crest by both Corpus Chrisiti Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge.
The UWI Mascot: The Pelican
UWI students and alumni identify with and are proud of the Coat of Arms, and therefore proudly associate with the symbol of the Pelican. Show your “Pelican Pride”.
Other Points of Pride
- 9 Caribbean Heads of Government are UWI Graduates
- One of only two truly regional universities in the world covering 15 countries
- The world centre on Sickle Cell Disease
- Tropical Medicine Research Institute - coordinates research on priority health issues in the Caribbean and facilitates the uptake of research findings into policy and programmes.