The head of the University of the West Indies (UWI) has warned that the Caribbean is falling behind in producing enough university graduates to drive social and economic development.
Speaking virtually at the UWI Five Islands Campus matriculation ceremony on Thursday, Vice-Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles said the region remains “a minority within a minority” when it comes to higher education, with only about 50,000 students enrolled across UWI’s five campuses.
“Our Caribbean world is noted for its underperformance in terms of generating young people who are duly matriculated into our universities and our colleges,” Beckles said. “We need to do more”.
Beckles added that the shortage of graduates has direct consequences for development, saying a region’s ability to grow depends on the number of citizens with university education, professional training, and technical skills. He urged students to embrace activism and advocacy on issues such as economic growth, food security, climate change, and youth marginalisation.
“Your success means a great deal to all of us, not only to your families and your friends, but also to your communities and your societies,” Beckles told the new cohort.
The ceremony in Antigua marked the formal induction of 443 students into UWI Five Islands, the newest of the university’s five campuses, which opened in 2019 and continues to expand its reach across the Eastern Caribbean.
