News & Updates

The University College of the West Indies was established by Royal Charter, following the recommendations of the Asquith Commission (for the entire Empire) and subsequently, the Irving Commission (for the West Indies), charged with “...the development of Colonial Universities which will rear the local leaders of the future”.

H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth II has been our “Visitor” since the days when she was Princess Elizabeth.

Her aunt, H.R.H. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, was the UWI’s first Chancellor. She it was who is responsible for the beautiful Chapel building which she fell in love with when it was part of a sugar estate at Gale’s Valley in Trelawny, and ordered it be transported, stone by stone, and reconstructed at the Mona Campus. On the northern side of the Chapel, running the length of the wall just below one coping, one can still see the name of the original owner of the sugar factory, “Edward Morant Gale Esquire” followed by the date “1799”.

As Chancellor, Princess Alice presided at all the convocations and graduation ceremonies until her retirement in 1971.

Another Royal, H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was an honorary graduate, having been awarded the D. Litt honoris causa in 1965.

The Arms of the University (granted to the University College of the West Indies in 1949)

“Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure an open Book proper bound Gules garnished or on a chief of the third a Lion passant guardant Erminois. For the crest on a wreath of the Colour a Pelican proper”.

Forming the main background of the shield is the sea represented by white and blue (three each) wavy lines on which is the open book; the upper part of the shield, the chief, is red with a Lion to show the connection with the Crown, but the Lion is covered with black spots. This is the Lion borne by H.R.H. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, appointed by the King (George VI) to be the first Chancellor, so that this appointment is recorded forever in the arms of the University.

"In the fog and darkness which is a constant menace to the civilized world, our Universities are the best of all beacons; and it is surely a wise precaution to put up another one to guide the spirit of mankind into the deep and safe waters of wisdom and understanding."

- Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, First Chancellor of the UWI. Extracted from her Installation Address

The very first graduates of the UWI started their academic careers at the then University College of the West Indies (now UWI) on the Mona Campus (the first campus) on October 3, 1948.

The finalists from over 800 applicants, these 23 men and 10 women varied in age, background and experience. They represented the region's best and brightest minds. They were the pioneers who as they began classes in the wooden camp huts what once housed refugees of war from Gibraltar and Malta, led the way for the future of tertiary education in the Caribbean.

"This is our child and father to be. It must grow in an atmosphere of close and protective attention. We must make it our very own and that demands watchfulness and most of all pride and purpose and spirit in all our acts and deeds and thoughts when we turn them towards this great new thing among us."

- Norman Washington Manley, National Hero of Jamaica. Extracted from his letter to the Daily Gleaner the day after the first Chancellor's installation.

The first Faculty was Medical Sciences.

The First Class of 33 young Caribbean Citizens:

These students graduated in 1954.

In 1949 the Faculty of Natural Sciences opened and the very first graduates of the then University College of the West Indies graduated in 1953, as follows:

• Roy Hope Alexander Bailey (Jamaica) - the first person to receive a degree from UWI 
• Oliver James Claudious Francis (Jamaica) 
• Winston Bancroft Le Vere Johnson (Jamaica) 
• Carlton Lewis (Jamaica) 
• Trevor Calthorpe McMorris (Jamaica) 
• Kenneth Eugene Magnus (Jamaica) 
• Gladstone Winston Fitz-Gerald Morgan (Jamaica) 
• Joseph Cleophas Lamonte Drakes (Barbados) 
• Talib Ali Omardeen (Trinidad) 
• Kenneth Mervyn Tam (Trinidad) 
• John William Whittingham (British Guiana)

"The problems of the West Indies will never be fully solved unless they are understood and investigated, to a far greater extent, in the West Indies by West Indians" - The Sub-Committee of the Asquith Commission otherwise known as the Irvine Committee

UWI Mona Campus, Kingston
Tel: 876-927-1660-9

UWI Western Jamaica Campus, Montego Bay

Jamaica Eastern
jamaica.eastern@open.uwi.edu

Jamaica (Montego Bay)
montego.bay@open.uwi.edu

Jamaica (Brown's Town)
browns.town@open.uwi.edu

Jamaica (Denbigh)
denbigh@open.uwi.edu

UWI Open Campus Centre

HLSCC Campus, Paraquita Bay,
P.O. Box 4324 Road Town,
Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Tel: 284-494-6957
Fax: 284-494-4263

E-Mail: bvi@open.uwi.edu

Motto:

"Be Vigilant"

Location:

The British Virgin islands are located to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Capital:

Road Town

Business Hours: Monday - Friday

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

UWI Open Campus
Bahamas Tourism Training Centre
Thompson Blvd.
P.O. Box N-1184
Nassau, Bahamas

Tel: 242-323-6593
Fax: 242-328-0622
E.Mail: bahamas@open.uwi.edu

Motto: "Forward, Upward, Onward Together"

Location: The Bahamas is an archipelagic state lying about 50 miles off the coast of Florida. It comprises about 100,000 square miles with more than 4,000 islands, islets and cays, but is commonly known as the country of 700 islands. 29 islands are permanently inhabited.

Capital: Nassau

Business Hours: Monday - Saturday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(Closed on Thursday afternoons.)

Date of CARICOM Membership: 4th July, 1983

Highest National Award: Governor General Award

Popular Dish: Steam Conch N'Tomato Paste

UWI: Caribbean University, Caribbean icon!

UWI has campuses and centres in 16 English speaking Caribbean countries. The Caribbean region is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and North America, east of Central America and to the North of South America.

The region is comprised of more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs and cays and Belize and Guyana.

The Caribbean islands and mainland countries share similar histories of slavery and colonization (a melange of African, European, Asian, Indian and native influences), and religions (Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism).

Caribbean peoples are warm, funloving and share a love of theatre and drama and especially music. Calypso, reggae,soca, parang, kont,steelpan, ska, mento, kumina, dub,dancehall, jing-ping,bele,garifuna music, ring bang, rake and scrape, junkanoo, zouk, salsa and punta make the Caribbean pulsate with rythm.

The UWI is a truly regional CARIBBEAN University, serving all its peoples as it equips current and future generations to lead the region in all types of professions.

Welcome to UWI - the Caribbean University!

The UWI Countries are: