Building the future upon our shared strengths
In May 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding that connects UB with the five UWI campuses and the regional headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica was signed. The overarching goal is to foster collaborations between UB/SUNY and UWI faculty and students, encourage more research and study abroad opportunities, and create new shared graduate programs. During the MOU signing event UB’s President Tripathi met with Sir Hilary Beckles, UWI vice chancellor, and Audrey Marks, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, to discuss their thoughts on the initiative and the inclusion of university and community groups.
It is our hope that this memorandum of understanding between UB and UWI formalizes our commitment to build upon our shared strengths, harness our disciplinary expertise and foster collaborations in service of the greater good.
As we work together to foster global sustainability and resiliency, our endeavors will be that much more impactful by virtue of our shared contributions.
Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and President of UB, Satish K. Tripathi, sign the memorandum of understanding between The UWI and UB on May 20, 2024.
The SUNY-UWI CLSD will attract future global leaders and catalyze transformative research collaborations across SUNY and UWI campuses relevant to democratic participation, leadership and governance. The mission of the CLSD remains focused on addressing the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and developing a roadmap to strengthen our partnership and pursue plans to extend this global leadership hub.
CLSD will continue to be the organizational home for the SUNY-UWI Health Research Consortium and maximize the SUNY-UWI faculty collaborations that have resulted in the emergence of many new leaders and leverage funded grants to grow the financial foundation for CLSD.
Recent program development efforts include planning for collaborative public health programs, focusing on the intersecting issues of climate change, alternative energy and agricultural innovation. Many of these collaborations also have natural interactions with business development and new economic development.
We also anticipate that CLSD will benefit both institutions in this partnership by enhancing opportunities for competitive funding, which can lead to job creation through sustainable development initiatives in the future. Ideally, collaboration will leverage existing core facilities and resources at UB and SUNY to accelerate programs resulting in economic development.
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, The UWI
In May 2024, the long standing relationship between The University of the West Indies and the State University of New York was reaffirmed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that located the joint SUNY-UWI Centre for Leadership and Sustainable Development (CLSD) at the University of Buffalo Campus.
As we navigate a world facing unprecedented environmental, social, and economic challenges, education, research, and leadership must work together to create lasting impact. It is our hope that the CLSD will become a focal point for students, faculty, and partners from the Caribbean, Caribbean diasporic communities, and the rest of the world, to engage with the complexities of sustainable development, while empowering future leaders to take action in their communities and organizations. Through collaborative efforts, interdisciplinary research, and community engagement, we aim to cultivate a new generation of leaders who will contribute to the sustainable development goals, tackle climate change, and build resilient societies.
The CLSD's commitment to promoting sustainability and nurturing leadership is rooted in the values that define our two institutions: excellence, inclusivity, and the relentless pursuit of progress. I invite you to explore the work of the Centre, learn about our initiatives, and join us in our collective mission to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
CLSD Executive Director, SUNY Distinguished Professor Gene Morse
The SUNY-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development (CLSD) provides an exciting opportunity to bring together the innovative programs that have been developed across two great university systems. Conceived as a true partnership between The State University of New York and The University of the West Indies, the CLSD is an interface for seasoned and emerging leaders from SUNY and UWI to blend the best of ideas and innovation to build a workforce to address the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The CLSD’s major components include:
- An international faculty and staff from SUNY and UWI focused on leadership and sustainable development.
- A common point of intersection for SUNY initiatives to be offered as asynchronous, standalone micro credentials with a method for building into a graduate degree in Leadership and Sustainable Development.
- A bridging point to access The UWI International School of Development Justice graduate degrees in sustainable development, and other SUNY and UWI Institutes and Centers.
- A coordination center for the SUNY-UWI Health Research Consortium and its collaborators in public health research and sustainable development.
- A conference facilitator for the SUNY Global Center for meetings with United Nations representatives and delegations.
Leadership is at the forefront of the CLSD with the goal of enhancing collaborations among individuals who are active leaders in academic scholarly activity. Our hope is that by bringing together those who design, compare and implement SDG strategies, we will enable all nations to achieve the SGDs.
At the heart of the CLSD is the broad experience among faculty in academic, business, government and community initiatives to focus on the UN’s 2030 SDG goals and planning the workforce development needed to realize the SDGs. The CLSD team will work to provide the most relevant curriculum, to optimize the global SDG workforce chances for success, in individual settings as well as collectively. In partnership with the UWI International School for Development Justice, the CLSD faculty plan to leverage global expertise during courses and seminars that will provide the foundation for SDG implementation research in concert with country-specific business models to promote broad applications and benefit the global community.
Please join us on this journey to enhance the wellbeing of our local and global communities.
SUNY-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development Advisory Board
| Organization | Representative |
|---|---|
| SUNY/UWI Centre for Leadership and Sustainable Development | SUNY Distinguished Professor Gene Morse Chair |
| School of Public Health and Health Professions University at Buffalo |
Jean Wactawski-Wende, PhD, Dean, SUNY Distinguished Professor |
| Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations | François Jackman, Ambassador and Permanent Representative |
| Howard University, School of Education | Helen Bond, PhD, University Professor |
| Trinidad and Tobago's Permanent Representative to the UN | (To be confirmed) |
| National Association of Jamaican Alumni and Supportive Organizations | Mr. Brian Williams Mr. Garth Gibson (Alternate) |
| Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the United Nations, Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia to the United Nations | (To be confirmed) |
| The University of the West Indies | Professor Sandrea Maynard, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs Professor John Lindo, Co-chair, SUNY-UWI Health Research Consortium Professor Michael Taylor, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology |
| American Foundation for The University of the West Indies | Ann-Marie Grant, Executive Director |
Media Release: SUNY Backs UWI on SDG Initiative
The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Wednesday, May 29, 2024
“Our two universities are strategically repositioning to advance further mobilization around the SDGs. By harnessing the collective expertise and resources of both institutions, this partnership aims to serve as a catalyst that will drive progress towards a more sustainable and resilient future for all.” Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Professor Sir Hilary Beckles commented on a new phase of partnership between The UWI and the State University of New York System of Public Colleges and Universities (SUNY).
The two universities have deepened their alliance with a new agreement aimed at providing qualifications for leadership related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between The UWI and SUNY's University of Buffalo (UB), the two universities are set to introduce a new graduate degree programme in Leadership for Sustainable Development.
This transformative programme, to be offered through The UWI's soon-to-be-launched International School for Development Justice (ISDJ) and the Centre for Leadership and Sustainable Development (CLSD), aims to shape the future of sustainable development leadership. The collaboration follows a strategic decision by the current Chancellor of SUNY, John B. King, Jr., to domesticate the CLSD within the UB and to appoint its resident Distinguished Professor Gene D. Morse as the new Executive Director.
Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, President of UB, Satish K. Tripathi, Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Audrey Marks, and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI Mona Campus, Professor Densil A. Williams participated in the MOU signing ceremony on May 20, in Buffalo, NY, commemorating the strengthened partnership.
With a focus on the Caribbean region, the timely MOU outlines a strategic framework for joint sustainable development initiatives based on the legacy of collaboration between The UWI and the CLSD. Established in 2016, the Centre already has a successful UWI-SUNY joint Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership for Sustainable Development. It will now offer another option for leadership in the SDGs through The UWI's new ISDJ. The ISDJ's global agenda seeks to offer comprehensive education and training exclusively supporting the SDGs, specifically empowering future leaders to drive social justice, gender equality, and economic development in the Caribbean and worldwide.
Vice-Chancellor Beckles noted, "The UWI International School for Development Justice is continuing to work toward the 2030 goals, buoyed by joint offerings like the graduate programme in sustainable development by the UWI-UB CLSD."
The new master's programme, emerging from this MOU, is among The UWI ISDJ's initial offerings.
(L-R) President of UB, Satish K. Tripathi, and Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States, H. E. Audrey Marks, and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI Mona Campus, Professor Densil A. Williams.
A slate of dignitaries from Jamaica and Buffalo gathered on May 20, 2024, to celebrate the signing of the memorandum of understanding between The UWI and UB.
