The UWI Cave Hill campus, Barbados W.I. Monday, October 17, 2022—A record number of students will be awarded first class honours when The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus reverts to its annual in-person graduation ceremony for the first time in three years. Following the relaxation of COVID-19 protocols in Barbados, the spectacular ceremony returns to the Campus grounds on Saturday, October 22.

Among those walking the stage will be about 150 graduands who will be recognised for outstanding performance at the postgraduate level, as well as nearly 200 who will receive first class honours degrees at the undergraduate level. 

In keeping with tertiary education globally, a large percentage of this year’s graduands has spent much of their in-class experience receiving online instruction, after the pandemic forced a suspension of in-person classes in March 2020. Thereafter, the 2020 and 2021 graduation ceremonies (staged in March and October 2021 respectively) were held virtually due to health and safety protocols implemented throughout The UWI to safeguard against the spread of the coronavirus.

While there has been a full reopening of the Cave Hill Campus this academic year, paving the way for the return of in-person ceremonies, a number of safety measures aimed at halting the spread of COVID-19 are still in place. The protocols include mask-wearing which will be in effect for the October 22 ceremonies, when the Campus confers degrees on just over 1,400 students—1,019 undergraduates and 412 at the postgraduate level. 

This year, a total of 187 students are being awarded first class honours—a number that eclipses last year’s previous highest of 154. In addition, 10 medical students will graduate with honours, while upper second class honours will be awarded to 490 students, and 209 will receive lower second class honours. 

At the postgraduate level, 129 students will graduate with distinction, while 23 will be awarded merit. One will graduate with high commendation.

Scrolls will be presented to students at two ceremonies. The first is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Caribbean Time) for graduands from the Faculties of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts; Humanities & Education; Law; Medical Sciences; Science & Technology, and Sport. The second ceremony will be held at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Caribbean Time) for graduands from the Faculty of Social Sciences. 

In keeping with University tradition, three individuals will be conferred honorary degrees for their outstanding contributions to Barbados and the wider world. Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr Joy St John will be awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) for her work in medicine and Public Health leadership; Barbados’ Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Gabriel Abed will receive a Doctor of Laws (LLD) for entrepreneurship and pioneering Digital Currency, while businessman E. Neville Isdell of Ireland will also be conferred a Doctor of Laws (LLD) for his contributions to Business and Philanthropy. 

These ceremonies will be carried live via the new UWItv URL: www.uwitv.global, UWItv’s channels on Flow EVO and the UWItv Facebook live stream.

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About The University of the West Indies 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region. 

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Monain Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hillin Barbados, Five IslandsinAntigua and Barbuda and itsOpen Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

For more, visit www.uwi.edu.