The University of the West Indies (UWI) has often been seen as a long-standing partner of Caribbean governments in fostering the integration and development of our people and forming strategic alliances.
CARICOM member states are now considering the establishment of a single market economy. This will mean the general removal of all legal and administrative restrictions on trade. Therefore, more competition between these states is inevitable. The ability of member states to survive the effects of trade liberalization will depend, among other things, on the capacity of their human resources and their learning institutions. The role that the UWI is playing in enabling the people and countries of the region to make the transition will therefore come under great scrutiny. Many, including University graduates, believe that “UWI just isn’t doing enough!”
The role of the UWI has been assessed based on changes to its curriculum, the level of intellectual debate stimulated on the subject among people in the region, and the extent to which it has facilitated product development by improving access to regions to specialized training and technology transfer.
One of the main criticisms leveled against the University is that it has not used innovative strategies or radical curriculum engineering to achieve the transformation necessary to strategically address the challenges facing the region.
When asked if the University has boosted the intellectual capacity of the region’s inhabitants, the answer is a resounding yes. But when asked if their efforts have matched those of accredited universities around the world, the answer is not equally convincing.
Caribbean businessmen argue that UWI has not instilled in its graduates the drastic changes in attitudes and perspectives needed to help the business sector meet the challenges of the CSME. Amid a climate of high graduate unemployment, the view is that UWI is not equipping its graduates to pursue self-employment opportunities. Instead, the UWI is producing bookworms who lack business acumen!
The question has also been raised as to whether the University has increased opportunities for regional cooperation in human, economic and social development. Undoubtedly, it has played a critical and significant role in the integration of the peoples and countries of the region. In fact, it can be argued that UWI has played a key role in advancing the spirit of cooperation and integration that has made the Caribbean Single Market a reality. Compared to the “much lauded” CARICOM Federation, the University of the West Indies’ continued achievements dispel arguments that the region cannot unite.
But is UWI doing enough to help graduates cope with changes in the international business environment and the implications for small, open economies like ours? There is not much that the region’s institutions, such as the UWI, can do. The business sector armed with a more educated workforce must now do the rest.
One thing is certain. Over the years, UWI has generated a spirit of regional cooperation and Caribbean identity. Undoubtedly, the University, as a regional institution, has served as a beacon to bring the people and countries of the region closer together. To suggest otherwise is to be overly critical and underline the efforts of the Governments, University Officials and Graduates who have contributed to this process. But amid these efforts, university officials admit that the number of OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States) registrants continues to decline. More and more students from the region are looking for programs at foreign universities, even if they are self-financed and more expensive. Why is that? The answer may lie in the fact that the university itself has failed to adapt to the changing climate.
The current economic climate requires tertiary education institutions in the region to quickly provide a broad base of qualified professionals. This is believed to kick-start the region’s potential to compete with the commercial mega-blocks that have sprung up recently. This requires our learning institutions to facilitate broader and more affordable access to education for the people of the region. Developed countries have turned to online distance learning programs to achieve this goal. Admittedly, one of UWI’s compelling shortcomings is that while major universities around the world have successfully established accredited online learning programs, “UWI is still trying to catch up.” The absence of an effective e-learning program facilitating widespread and cost-effective access to tertiary education speaks volumes. In the context of our geography, it is indicative of the inability of the University to position itself adequately to meet the needs of the people and countries of the region.
Who is to say that the UWI’s strategies and timing are not in line with the demonstrated needs of its people? The real question is what role the UWI should play in preparing the region for the CSME. Is there a defined role or specific aspect for which you should take responsibility? The question of whether the UWI is doing enough or what it should be doing will continue to be a matter of debate. What is out of the question is that the UWI can and should do more to prepare the region for the challenges of the CSME.