SOME 768 graduands from across 16 Caribbean countries will graduate from The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open Campus on Saturday, October 12, 2019. The Presentation of Graduates Ceremony will be held at the St John’s Pentecostal Ministries, St John’s in Antigua starting at 10:00 a.m.
Of the graduands, 561 will receive undergraduate degrees, certificates and diplomas, while 207 will receive postgraduate qualifications. Of the undergraduate cohort, 343 will be awarded Bachelors of Science degrees, 121 will receive Bachelors of Education degrees, 51 will receive diplomas, 31 will receive Associates of Science degrees and 15 will receive certificates.
For the postgraduates, 11 will receive Doctor of Education degrees, 138 will be awarded Masters of Science, 20 Masters of Education, 18 Masters of Arts and 20 graduate diplomas.
The number of First Class Honours has increased significantly from 130 in 2018 to 170 this year. The number of graduands receiving Second Class Honours – Upper Division has also increased from 152 in 2018 to 175 this year, while the number of graduands receiving Second Class Honours – Lower Division has decreased, from 82 last year to 78 this year.
In the postgraduate category, two graduands will receive High Commendation, 92 will graduate with distinction and 113 will graduate with a pass.
The BSc in Management Studies with 149 graduands, followed by the BSc Accounting with 62, the BSc Social Work with 57, and the BEd. Early Childhood Development and Family Studies are the top four undergraduate programmes. In the postgraduate category, the MSc Management Studies with 93 graduands and the MSc Management and Education Leadership with 33 graduands constitute the two leading programmes.
Graduands this year range from age 21-years old to 65-years old with an average age of 37-years old.
During the ceremony, The University of the West Indies will confer honorary degree on Governor- General of St Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Sir Samuel Weymouth Tapley Seaton. He will receive the degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) for outstanding public service to his country. Dr Francis Severin, UWI Open Campus Public Orator will read the citation for Sir Tapley.
Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Mr Robert Bermudez will address the graduation ceremony. The other address will be delivered by the Class of 2019 Valedictorian, Ms Novenia Isaac, a student from Dominica.
Heads of State and Government, members of the University’s Executive Management, other highly placed University and local government officials, as well as family and friends of the graduands will be in attendance. The public is invited to share in the celebration live on UWItv at www.uwitv.org, and on UWItv Channels on the FLOW cable network across the Caribbean.
After the official ceremony, the new graduates and their guests will celebrate their academic achievements at an Official Reception hosted by the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda.