UWI partners with EU Institute

A NEW research partnership between the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the European University Institute (EUI) is in the making, to promote greater ties between the regions.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed virtually on July 14 by UWI vice-chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and EUI president Professor Renaud Dehousse, to establish a research centre in an effort to promote inter-regional and intra-regional development.

The centre would seek to encourage discourse on the impact of transnational and global issues in both regions and will focus on sustainable development, multilateral trade, gender equality, security, environment and climate change, migration, energy, regional integration processes and transnational governance.

Beckles said the partnership comes at a crucial time for the Caribbean and Europe, and the long histories between both regions contributed significantly.

He noted that with the exit for Britain from the European Union (EU), and the poor responses of regional entrepreneurs towards the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), Caricom faced economic and financial vulnerabilities.

He added that there was need and support for policies within the EU.

Beckles said, “UWI had to step up to create an academic research and business advisory hub in the EU.

“It will be anchored in Florence, Italy and will provide services to our foreign service community, business groups, advocacy leaders.

““It is a relationship that has to be sustained within the context of its positive contributions, mutually to Europe and to the Caribbean and of course to the wider world.

“So, it is perfectly normal therefore that universities ought to be coming together within this context to sustain the benefits and to provide a vision for the future of this relationship.”

Beckles said the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations, called for universities to play greater roles in its realisation.

It is for this reason, he said, “Universities are asked to become activists in the pursuit of these very laudable goals that are intended to move our cultures and our civilizations ahead within the finest values of humanity, transcending issues of trade and also focusing interest on culture and broadly speaking, development.”

He pointed out that UWI has been actively trying to achieve SDG 13, climate action, in its selection by the International Association of Universities to provide global advocacy.

“As we seek therefore to bring our activism in line with our teaching, our research, our advocacy, and the creation of partnerships that will enable all of us to make a greater contribution to the world and to humanity, this context is very, very significant.

“We are of one mind; we have a common vision. Against the background of a heritage of over 500 years, it is logical therefore that we should be activists on many areas of trade, of cultural exchange and of course within the context of the sustainable development goals”, Beckles said..

Professor Dehousse noted that the partnership with UWI would foster change in the Caribbean region and to a larger extent Latin America.