News Release issued March3,2008
The University of the West Indies (UWI) will host Their Royal Highnesses, The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall on Wednesday 5th March, 2008, during their royal visit to the UWI St Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago. The royal visit comes in the year that The University of the West Indies marks its 60th Anniversary Celebrations, and the Prince of Wales celebrates his sixtieth birthday.
Their Royal Highnesses will arrive at the steps to the entrance of the JFK Quadrangle at approximately 12:30 p.m. They will be formally received by Pro Vice Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Clement Sankat; The Hon. Christine Kangaloo, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education; and The Hon. Marlene Mc Donald, Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs. The formal reception party will also include Prof. Gurmohan Kochhar, Deputy Principal; Mr Jeremy Callaghan, Campus Registrar; and Mrs Lylla Bada, Campus Bursar; and Mr. Junior Regrello, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs.
First, Professor Sankat and Prof. Margaret Rouse-Jones, University and Campus Librarian, will escort Their Royal Highnesses to view the UWI 60th Anniversary Exhibition. Subsequently, Prof. Brian Copeland, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Mr. Jessel Murray of the UWI Centre for Creative and Festival Arts will deliver a short presentation on the Genesis Pan (“G” Pan) and invite Their Royal Highnesses to try their hand at the new musical instrument.Next, the party will be invited to view a presentation on climate change by the Arts-in-Action Group, led by Mr. Brendon La Caille of the UWI Centre for Creative and Festival Arts. At the end of this presentation, the Campus Principal will present Their Royal Highnesses with tokens of appreciation from The University of the West Indies.
Their Royal Highnesses may choose to walk around and meet and greet those gathered to view the proceedings. As they make their departure, Their Royal Highnesses will sign the Visitor’s Book and will be escorted out by the same greeting party that welcomed them.
The link between the royal family and the region’s premier tertiary education institution is part of the University’s historic past. In 1950, Her Royal Highness, Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, a grand-daughter of Queen Victoria, was appointed by King George VI to be the first Chancellor of the University College of the West Indies, which was established by Royal Charter. As Chancellor, Princess Alice presided at all the convocations and graduation ceremonies until her retirement in 1971. Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was an honorary graduate, having been awarded the D. Litt (Honoris Causa) in 1965. Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II is the Visitor of the University.
For more information on the UWI 60th Anniversary, please visit www.uwi.edu/60 or contact the UWI 60th Anniversary Secretariat at uwi60thsecretariat@uwimona.edu.jm; or (Tel.) 876 977 0014, Ext. 2525; or UWI 60th Anniversary Secretariat, Office of the Vice Chancellor, UWI Mona, Jamaica.
ABOUT UWIThe University of the West Indies (UWI) is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.
