Dennis Minott | The UWI ranking rollercoaster

The University of the West Indies (UWI), long a pillar of CARICOM education, has recently come under scrutiny due to its fluctuating performance in global university rankings. Once celebrated as a regional leader, the UWI now faces declining rankings and growing questions about the quality of its undergraduate education.

This article explores the UWI’s trajectory, the causes behind its rankings drop, and the wider implications for Caribbean education, linking these developments to Jamaica’s recent performance in the PISA 2022 rankings for secondary schools. What does this say about the state of local education?

STORY OF TWO RANKINGS

Five years ago, the UWI claimed a prestigious position within the top 1.5 per cent of universities worldwide, driven by strong reports from its administration that emphasised the university’s leadership in research and education across the Caribbean and Latin America. However, a deeper look at the metrics used in these rankings, which often emphasise regional development goals, raised questions about their universal relevance. Was this recognition more about the UWI’s role in regional development than its global educational standards?

Now, in 2025, the UWI’s ranking has plummeted. According to Times Higher Education (THE), it sits outside the top 600 globally, while the QS Rankings similarly omit the UWI from the top universities in even Latin America and the Caribbean. These changes highlight the complexities of university rankings, which use different methodologies and weigh factors such as teaching, research, and international outlook. But these developments also prompt a more critical question: is the UWI providing the quality education its students need in an increasingly globalised world?

MULTIFACETED DECLINE IN QUALITY

Several factors contribute to the UWI’s decline, but at the core is a broader concern about the quality of its undergraduate education.

Increased competition: The UWI is now competing not only with renowned North American and European institutions, but also with fast-rising universities in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. These competitors are improving rapidly, attracting top talent and international partnerships, leaving the UWI struggling to keep pace.

Funding challenges: Government funding for the UWI has been limited across the Caribbean, restricting its ability to invest in research, faculty, and infrastructure. Many campuses have outdated facilities, and students lack access to the technological resources that their peers at other universities take for granted.

Teaching quality and faculty development: Widespread concerns exist about the UWI’s teaching standards. With high student-to-faculty ratios, students miss out on individualized attention, and many faculty members’ qualifications may not align with the evolving standards of top-tier universities. As a result, UWI graduates may lack the critical thinking and problem-solving skills required in today’s world.

Curriculum relevance: Many industries, especially in STEM fields, have advanced significantly, but the UWI’s curriculum has struggled to keep up. Students and employers alike report that the UWI’s programmes are increasingly disconnected from the demands of the modern job market.

PISA 2022 AND EDUCATION CRISIS

The UWI’s challenges cannot be understood in isolation from the broader educational struggles in Jamaica, as shown by the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. Jamaica’s secondary school students performed poorly in key areas like mathematics, science, and reading. These results expose deep issues in the nation’s education system, including underfunded schools, inadequately trained teachers, and outdated curricula.

These foundational weaknesses mean that students entering the UWI are often ill-prepared for university life. The lack of readiness at the secondary level perpetuates underperformance in tertiary education and exacerbates UWI’s global decline.

RIPPLE EFFECT OF DECLINING EDUCATION QUALITY

The UWI’s challenges have far-reaching consequences.

Regional development: The UWI has, historically, played a key role in shaping Caribbean development strategies. A weakened UWI risks undermining regional progress in areas such as economic growth, social equity, and sustainability.

Talent drain and student mobility: As the UWI’s reputation declines, its likely that many of the region’s top students will seek education abroad, worsening the long-standing issue of talent migration.

Investment in education: The UWI’s falling standards may also discourage investment in education across the region. If the UWI is no longer seen as a leader, governments and private investors may hesitate to provide the funding necessary for educational improvements.

ROAD TO RECOVERY – COLLECTIVE EFFORT

To reverse its fortunes, the UWI must secure adequate funding, prioritise faculty development, and modernise its curriculum. Collaboration with international institutions and increased student mobility can also help boost its profile. However, this will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders – governments, alumni, educators, and private investors.

The UWI’s struggles reflect the broader challenges in Caribbean education. The 2022 PISA results underline how deficiencies in secondary education feed into tertiary underperformance. The quality of education at the UWI mirrors systemic failures throughout the educational pipeline. Only by addressing these foundational issues can the UWI reclaim its position as a regional leader and secure a brighter future for the Caribbean.

Dennis Minott, PhD, is the CEO of A-QuEST-FAIR. He is a multilingual green resources specialist, a research physicist, and a modest mathematician who worked in the oil and energy sector. Send feedback to a_quest57@yahoo.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.