University of the West Indies conference

Tuesday, June 1, 2004

University of the West Indies School of Continuing Studies continued its bi-annual Country Conferences on Thursday and Friday, 27 and 28 May, with the theme, Beyond Walls: Multi Disciplinary Perspectives, which explored the possibilities arising from approaching issues relevant to the Cayman Islands in a multidisciplinary way.

HE the Governor, Bruce Dinwiddy, began the conference by talking about the usefulness of his multi-disciplinary perspectives in his own life.

“I am, at least by conviction, a great believer in multi-disciplinary perspectives,” he said. “I need to be multi-disciplinary in my present job.”

After outlining some aspects of the local context, Mr Dinwiddy continued: “It’ s all the more important in an economic and social sense that we should encourage lateral thinking; a disciplined contemplation of cross-cutting issues and themes.”

During his opening remarks, Professor Lawrence Carrington, Pro Vice Chancellor of the UWI in non-campus countries, outlined the UWI’s vision for provision of tertiary educational facilities in non-campus countries since it began in 1948.

“Our founders sought to ensure that the benefits of a regional university would not be confined to the particular campus where the University was established,” he stated.

Continuing the theme of benefit for non-campus countries, Hon Roy Bodden, Minister of Education, Human Resources & Culture’s address had the title, Navigating the Challenge: The role of the UWI in non-campus countries.

“The University must be the vitality of the non-campus countries, as much as it is the vitality of the campus countries,” he said.”

Outlining his hopes for the future direction of the UWI, Mr Bodden said: “The university must be the torch-bearer in conducting research, sharing results, holding scholars, and preparing societies, often by non-
traditional means.”

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