Events

Join the Tradition .. and show your Pelican Pride!

The "Sons and Daughters of the Pelican" can take great pride in the early history of their alma mater:

• The UWI was founded in 1948
  • In 1942 Sir Philip Sherlock promoted the formation of a local University College and a Committee was set up.
  • In 1945 the Irvine Report was accepted and a site at Mona was selected in Jamaica.
  • Dr. Thomas Taylor, a noted Biochemist was the first Principal
  • The first office of the University College of the West Indies was at 62 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston and it opened on Feb 1, 1947. It was then relocted to Gibraltar Camp at Mona, which had been the site of a camp for refugees from Gibraltar and Malta as well as German and Italian prisoners of war.
  • Oct 3, 1948 - The official opening of the Mona Campus with 10 female and 23 male Caribbean students entering the Faculty of Medicine
  • October 1949 - Natural Sciences opened
  • October 1950 - Faculty of Arts opened
  • 1960 - St. Augustine campus established from the former Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture.
  • 1963 - Cave Hill campus established (Law)
  • April 2, 1962 - the new Royal Charter constituting and founding The University of the West Indies was passed and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, was the first Chancellor.

Central Office: UWI Regional Headquarters - headed by the Vice Chancellor, responsible for all 16 UWI countries

Halls of Residence:

• Mona - Chancellor, Irvine, Mary Seacole, Hamilton, Leo-Rhynie, Nettleford, Preston, Taylor
• St. Augustine - Canada, Joyce Gibson-Innis, Milner, Trinity
• Cave Hill - Sherlock, Frank Worrell

Campus Colours:

• Cave Hill - Yellow
• Mona - Red
• Open - Burnt Orange
• St. Augustine - Blue

The UWI Motto - "Oriens Ex. Occidente Lux" - "Light Rising from the West"

The UWI Mascot - The Pelican"