UWI Responsible Futures Updates

UWI Responsible Futures Update

UWI STAT & SUSTAINABILITY

 Students (our future alumni) continue to shine the light on sustainability! The UWI STAT Ambassadorial Corps’ Sustainability Strategy was signed and ratified by The UWI Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, the Champion of the student driven One UWI Responsible Futures Programme, which the Corps was selected to lead, on January 28, 2025.


It was developed by the STAT Presidents (Curtis Clennon (Mona), Rol-J Williams (St. Augustine), Shakeem Howell (Barbados) and Erica Clother-Joseph (Global Campus – represented at the signing by Ramone Babb, Global Campus Guild President and STAT Ambassador), and Guild Presidents and overseen by the OURFP Regional Director, Celia Davidson Francis.


The Policy is designed to foster environmental, social, and economic sustainability across the UWI community through collective student leadership, along with the Guild Presidents in order to advancing sustainability principles, recognizing the critical role they play in creating resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities. Strategic Pillars include: Environmental Sustainability: Protecting and Conserving Resources to reduce UWI’s environmental footprint through active resource conservation, waste reduction, and ecological preservation initiatives; Social Sustainability: Building Inclusive and Resilient Communities to foster inclusive, safe, and resilient communities by prioritizing equity, cultural understanding, and social well-being; Economic Sustainability: Promoting Long-term Financial Stability and Innovation to champion economic sustainability by encouraging responsible financial practices, supporting local economies, and fostering innovative, future-ready skills.


The Ambassadors are committed to working in partnership with their fellow students across the 5 UWI campuses, university and campus leaders, and university stakeholders to embed sustainability into the fabric of student and university life. The implementation will be phased in over time and reviewed and updated as necessary by the UWI STAT and Guild Presidents.


On Jan 30, 2025, the UWI STAT Ambassadorial Corps at Mona held a successful, highly interactive Career Expo, focusing on a wide variety of jobs, including green and environmental careers to benefit their fellow students and support The UWI's Sustainability thrust. It was executed by the CARICOM Relations Portfolio. Several organizations including the Jamaica Defense Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Jamaica National Bank, and Shadow Tactics and Abundant Life Inc. contributed to impacting the future career lives of students on campus positively. The event was beneficial to both students (future alumni) and business owners. Students had the opportunity for one on one conversations with each organizations’ representatives to gain knowledge & build relationships that may be beneficial to their future. At the UWI STAT booth company both students and company representatives got to know more about UWI STAT, the One UWI Responsible Futures Programme (UWI STAT leads this student-driven programme designed to integrate sustainability and an SDG focus across every aspect of the institution) and also to win prizes and UWI STAT merchandise. Kudos to the STAT Ambassadors!

UWI Pelicans, as you know, The UWI perceives sustainability as a critical investment in the future of both our institution and the Caribbean region. Your university is now a Responsible Futures accredited tertiary institution helping students gain the skills and experiences needed to thrive as global citizens. Sustainability is generally defined as the capability to fulfill present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

This entails balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations to cultivate a resilient and equitable society with a long-term focus. Sustainability means improving and ensuring social equity for present and future generations and protecting the planet’s life-supporting eco-systems; and is defined by the United Nations as “meeting the needs."


For The UWI, sustainability represents a comprehensive paradigm encompassing essential elements such as environmental protection, climate action, advocacy, adaptation, mitigation, and resilience practices. These efforts are vital for preserving the health and viability of both the Caribbean region and the planet as a whole. By embedding sustainable practices aligned with the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout the institution, as a Responsible Futures institution, The UWI adopts a holistic approach that integrates sustainability into all aspects of university life, including academic curricula, extracurricular activities, campus operations, procurement, waste management, transportation and infrastructure development. This integration aims to equip students, our future alumni, with a ‘sustainability mindset’ that will provide a profound understanding of the importance of sustainability in their personal and professional lives, which will be necessary as they live in a climate change-impacted future. 


We will continue to keep you updated and we encourage you to live your lives sustainably! 
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