Amitabh Sharma, Features Coordinator

Harris

The University of the West Indies (UWI) will be waiving fees for research programmes as part of a multi-pronged approach it has adopted to address the needs of the 21st century.

Professor E. Nigel Harris, vice-chancellor at the UWI told The Gleaner in a recent interview that research and graduate programmes will be key drivers as the institution steps into its 60th year.

"What I really want to do is to build our research and research graduate programmes," said Professor Harris said.

Encourage more graduates

The fee waiver is intended to encourage more graduates to enrol in research programmes.

"That's the first step, this would be effective 2008 and onwards," he added.

Professor Harris did not indicate the cost that would be incurred but said the institution would work out means to get the resources.

"We would like governments to support us, but even if they don't, we would try to reallocate resources to be able to do that," he said. "We would also work out systems that they (graduates) get a stipend."

The UWI vice-chancellor said it was imperative for the university to have a strong research base.

"It is the way in which universities are actually measured, with respect to your graduate programmes and your research programmes."

Currently, the research students account for about 25 per cent of all graduate students. But Professor Harris believes that there is still a long way to go.

"We may do well, but the point is, we don't measure up in terms of research and graduate programmes."

Professor Harris suggested that issues of regional importance would take precedence as research topics.

"There are a number of areas, environmental sciences, crime and security, education at the primary and secondary level?" he asked.

"How do we enhance the performance of our students at the primary and secondary level?" he asked. "It is pretty shattering when you read the figures, what do we need to do in terms of education to change that dynamic."

The UWI will als itself with foreign universities to boost its research programmes.

Creating relationship with research universities

"We may not have all the supervisors necessary to provide this sort of guidance to the graduate students," said Professor Harris. "We want to forge relationships with international research universities, and utilise them to help supervise some of our own students."

He added, "The whole idea is to beef these programmes up."

The fundamentals, the vice-chancellor said, would rest on the contribution of the research scholars to the development of the region.

"My underlying belief is that our university can only be meaningful if we contribute to the growth and development of the Caribbean society; that has got to come from the creation of individuals who can themselves invent, innovate, apply new knowledge in the societies in which we live."

amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com