UWI Principal welcomes virtual graduations

PRINCIPAL of the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus Professor Brian Copeland says he feels great as preparations are underway for the university’s first-ever series of virtual graduation ceremonies.

The campus’ five graduation ceremonies will be held online owing to the covid19 pandemic and the current public health regulations preventing gatherings of more than ten people.

The ceremonies for the faculties of Social Sciences, and Science and Technology and Food and Agriculture will be held on January 11, and for the faculties of Engineering and Law, Humanities and Education, and Medical Sciences on January 12. Each ceremony will be two hours long.

This year, according to UWI’s website – the fees for rental of gowns and caps have been waived. But in order to participate in the ceremony, the student must have a digital photo in their academic regalia.

Speaking with Newsday on Sunday morning, Copeland said he was glad the students can finally have a sense of closure and still be able to graduate.

“I feel great. The place is being shaken by this thing (covid19) so I accept it fully.

“I understand that the students are really looking forward to this so I really appreciate that. We always had to respond with good sense and logic, the aim is still to survive for the long haul. So, I welcome it because it is just another mode of operation.”

He said he sees it as an opportunity to experiment with something they “would have never dared to before."

“Given UWI culture, we hold on to a culture. And if you want to get a good sense of it, go and watch The Crown and Harry Potter,” he joked.

Students are required to register online using the UWI student portal.

Several schools across the world have turned to this version of graduation ceremonies because of the pandemic.