Vice Chancellor’s Review of the UWI
STRATEGIC PLAN - 2008/2009:
Pure & Applied Sciences,
Joint Presentation
Mona Campus
August 17, 2009
1. Teaching & Learning
1.1 Teaching Quality Training- IDU
• 11 Lecturers enrolled in Teaching Certificate
Programme (08/09) –Cave Hill
• 40 Lecturers Exposed to at least one course
at Mona 2007-9.
• 22 Lecturers and 27 TA/Demonstrators at St.
Augustine for 2007-9
1. Teaching & Learning
1.2 Course/Programme Renewal
• 12 C/Hill; 8 (Mona) and1 (STA) courses eliminated
• New market responsive, inter-disciplinary programme.
6 (C/Hill), 10 (Mona) and 8 (STA) Courses
mounted/approved
• Integration/rationalization: Computing Level 1 (Mona)
• Harmonization: Year 1 Chem, Physics and Biology
(partially: Computing & Maths)
1. Teaching & Learning
1.2 Course/Programme Renewal
• 34% (52/152 ) online & most with e-component
(Cave Hill)
• 40% (76/189) Online or E-component (Mona)
• All courses have online or e-component at (StA)
• Open Campus participation in courses:
None (C/Hill); 5 (Mona) and 14 (StA)
• All courses open for students from any Campus
1. Teaching & Learning
1.3.0 Noteworthy Course/Programme Renewal
• Programme Redesigns or restructuring or new:
Meteorology, computing, preliminary chem,
general physics, electronics, medical physics,
materials and earth sciences, math bridging prog.
• Pedagogy: Peer-lead learning (Chemistry);
graphical programming coming before Java
(Comp); greater use of computers in maths;
learning outcome audits in biology courses (StA)
Entrenchment of undergrad. Research project
to cover many skill sets (ideal UWI Graduate)
1. Teaching & Learning
1.4 Steps to the Ideal UWI Graduate
• Structured Undergraduate Research Project – Key
(chosen to reflect local relevance)
• Enhanced and Enriched Tutorials
• Math bridging or proficiency Test programms
• Mathematics Olympiad programme
• Courses designed to promote team work
• Courses designed to broaden intellectual scope
• Increased use of ICT and Virtual Lab
• Signing plagiarism declaration forms
• Requirement to pass both coursework and final exam
• Custom-developed Simulators which develop
problem-solving, team work as well as IT skills.
1. Teaching & Learning
1.3.1 Noteworthy Course/Programme Renewal
• Technology Innovations
-Mobile plant micro-propagation units biotechnol.;
-Virtual labs: Electronics (C/Hill), Physics (Mona),
Chemistry (StA)
-Rehabilitation of ICT facilities in Chem. Lab.;
-Interactive electronic facility (Mona)
• Out of Classroom: Work study (Chem); students
involvement in ICT consultancies (Comp) (Mona).
-Internships, field trips-agriculture, nutrition,
dietetics (StA), Microsoft Imagine Cup (Cave Hill
team reached round 2).
1. Teaching & Learning
1.5 Undergraduate enrolment
• Cave Hill:
In 08/09 projected enrolment (1111) exceeded
by 3% (1144)
• Mona:
1738 (2007/8) and 1912 (2008/9) -10% growth
• St. Augustine:
3191 (2008/9) – 6.4% growth over 2007/8
(26.5% of Campus enrollment)
• 2009/10 shaping up as 2008/9 (competition?)
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.1 Taught Master’s Enrolment
• Cave Hill: 51(2008/9 )– 9% increase over 7/8
• Mona: 179 (2008/9) vs 270 (2007/8)
• St. Augustine: 111 (2008/9) new thrust
• New programmes-MSc Computing, MASc,
OESH, MSc Tropical Biodiversity will increase
enrollment in 2009/10
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.2 MPhil & PhD Programmes
• Cave Hill: 37 MPhil & 19 PhD students for 2008/9
MPhil/PhD’s up ca. 2% from 2007/8
Mona: 133 (MPhil) & 58 PhD for 2008/9
158 (MPhil) & 70 PhD for 2007/8
Decrease =16% (MPhil) and 17% (PhD)
– Possible Causes: Low stipends; financial difficulties; no 2.2
admission policy (now rescinded).
• St. Augustine: 140 MPhil & 51 PhD for 2008/9
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.3 MPhil/PhD Programmes-Clusters
• Students spread usually not aligned to clusters
• Most Clusters not viable due to resource constraints
• Research is in focused groups lead by ‘ICONS’
• Research Clusters/Focus groups –address national
problems or international problems with national
impact
• Resource mobilization effort to support Clusters/Focus
groups in critical areas is under way
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.4 &2.5 Strengthening of MPhil/PhD Prog.
• New course FPAS6000: Scientific Literature
Review taken by 26 students has strengthened
research methodology skills (Cave Hill).
• Research Methods Course (Mona)
• Emphasis on seminars, research meetings
(St. Augustine)
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.6 External Co-supervision is Limited
• Cave Hill: St Augustine (1); international (3)
• Mona with: Cave Hill (1); International (2 )
• St. Augustine: Cross Campus (4);
International (9).
International joint publications are much higher
than Co-supervisions –both are low for crossCampus research efforts- Equipment and
funding needs determine collaborations
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.7 Initiatives to Strengthen Supervision
• In Scientific Literature course, supervisor
oversees/marks student’s literature review
- ensures this engagement occurs at an early
stage (Cave Hill)
• Mentoring/assisting Supervisors especially
those in difficulty (Mona)
• Appointing supervisory Teams and Training
(St. Augustine)
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.8 PhD Student Status
• 5 Full-time PhD students (of total 19)(C/Hill)
• 28 Fulltime students (out of 51) funded
(Scholarships or Dept Awards)- (St Augustine)
• 28 Fulltime (out of 58) are funded by Dept.
Awards, scholarships or TAs. (Mona)
UWI Publications 2002-2009 by Country
Cross
Campus
Collaboration
output =32
papers mostly
in Health
fields
Type of UWI Publications
Annual UWI Publications
Annual Publications for Some Univ.
Subject Areas for Published UWI Scholarship
2,487 records. OG=Univ W Indies
Journals Publishing UWI Scholarly Items
Publications from Pure & Applied Sciences 2002/9
Cross
Campus
Collaboratio
n output =9
papers in no
particular
field
Areas for Pure & Applied Sciences Publications
Major Disciplines
Cross-Disciplinary Areas
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.10 External Research Grants - successful
• Cave Hill – US$1,070,000
• Mona: US$615,000
• St. Augustine: US$3,500,000 (consortia)
There were numerous unsuccessful
applications + some under consideration
2. Graduate Studies & Research
2.13 Patents Filled or Granted
• Cave Hill: Lantibiotic from Streptococcus
mutans and uses thereof – US Patent 6218362
B1 17/04/2001 (Cave Hill) (in 2001)
• Mona: 1 Granted (Extractions from Bitterwood
–US Patent) and 6 pending decision
• St. Augustine: 1 granted.
3. Leadership & Managerial Culture
3.1-5 Management of Academic Advising + Documentation
• The Strategic Plan is discussed at Faculty
Board meetings.
• All undergraduates are assigned an advisor,
advisor training was held at Cave Hill
• Instituting mandatory student-advisor meetings
has proven a challenge.
• Documents circulate by both hard copy and
e-mail- effectiveness is not satisfactory
3. Leadership & Managerial Culture
3.6-7 Management of Students Academic Progress
• Student enrichment:
Cave Hill: Clubs-astronomy, comp, etc…
Mona: Clubs (ham radio/electronics/robotics);
peer learning/teaching; junior professional
societies
St. Augustine: Career guidance and WoW,
Societies e.g. astronomical, Chem, biol, comp,
agricultural etc…
• Student Recognition: Annual award ceremony
(celebrate student and staff achievements)
3. Leadership & Managerial Culture
3.8 Significant Developments for Student Experience
• Cave Hill: New e-ready student study area
• St. Augustine: Increased quality of tutorials +
Field trips; Electronic display boards
• Mona: Early orientation programme; new areas
engineering & agriculture; refurbishment of
mathematics building (Principal-thanks);
increase stipends for Dept Awardees (campusthanks).
4. Other Issues
4.1.0 Improving Research –Cave Hill
Instrumentation upgrade in 08/09:
• Cray Desktop Supercomputer
• 300 MHz & 500 MHz NMRs ordered
• LC-MS ordered
• GC-MS ordered
• Liquid Nitrogen generator ordered
4. Other Issues
4.1.1 Improving Research - Mona
• Mona: Great improvements in E-access to
journals and data bases;
• St. Augustine:
-Modern Equipment for the Chemistry Dept.
-Increased participation of students at
international conferences;
-Presentations to the Faculty by top world
researchers
-Short student study periods overseas
4. Other Issues
4.2 Caribbean/SIDS-focused Research
• Numerous projects are under way:
Marine Governance research, biodiversity,
climate change, human health and nutrition,
plant health, water management, cocoa,
medicinal plants, bauxite/alumina, GIS/GPS,
energy, agriculture, natural products etc…
4. Other Issues
4.3 Research with Impact
- Natural resource management, fisheries
-
Environmental health; nutrition
Disaster Mitigation
Plant genetic resources
Climate change and alternative energy;
Occupational health and & safety
Petrology
Parasitology
Instructional technologies
Computerization of medial centres
4. Other Issues
4.5 Major Cross-Campus Collaborations
• Fluid Mechanics (Mona-St. Augustine)
• Climate Change (All Campuses)
• Natural Products of medicinal value (all)
4. Other Issues
4.5 Major International Collaborations-Many
• University: Ottawa, Lavoie, Dalhousie, Toronto,
Turk, Pace, Fort Valley, Kagashima, Seville,
Royal Holloway, North Calorina, East Carolina,
Starthclyde, Dublin,Herriott-Watt.
Concluding Statement
• The Faculties of Pure and Applied Sciences
have solid teaching programmes that are
constantly updated; including innovations
• Research is rather weak and with stagnant
output levels – a plan is needed to reverse the
trend; especially resource mobilization efforts
• The weakness in research may also affect
throughput in taught programmes where
research is a significant component.
• Fix poor cross campus research collaboration
• There are good research programmes with
potentially high impact that need to be nurtured