NCU president is new co-chair of the Canada-Caribbean Institute

Professor Lincoln P. Edwards, president of the Northern Caribbean University, has been named the new Caribbean co-chair of the Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI).

President Edwards will assume duties from Sir Hilary Beckles, Pro Vice Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, who served as Caribbean co-chair since the establishment of the CCI. Sir Hilary demits office at the conclusion of his term as founding co-chair. The Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI) is a collaborative initiative between colleges and universities in Canada and the Caribbean. Established in 2020, its mission is to bring together scholars from across Canada and the Caribbean to collaborate on economic, environmental and social issues that contribute to the shared prosperity of both regions. Currently made up of 12 colleges and universities, the CCI supports research on a range of key policy areas including health; climate change; advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; trade and investment; Caribbean culture and the diaspora; and government and foreign relations, among other areas.

“Northern Caribbean University’s leadership role within the CCI represents an opportunity to build on our history of innovation in education and on the collaborative research and academic partnerships that the Caribbean has long had with Canada,” President Edwards says of the new assignment.

“Involvement in the CCI will expand our research activities and allow Northern Caribbean University to contribute to important policy discussions impacting our two regions.”

In a media release the president outlined several focus issues for his tenure, including; an expansion of the CCI to include more institutions from both Canada and the Caribbean. “This will allow for greater opportunities for collaboration between Canadian and Caribbean institutions. Consequently, scholars from the Caribbean are more likely to remain in the region while they travel and perform joint projects in research and other areas with their Canadian counterparts. This will assist in the development of the region and is a preferred approach to the alternative whereby brilliant scholars simply migrate partly due to lack of adequate support for research.

Facilitation of greater dialogue to determine a suitable and sustainable mechanism by which Caribbean universities can train more skilled personnel such as health care workers, truck drivers, etc., to meet the growing needs of Canadian companies. Conversely, greater dialogue is also needed to determine how Canadian universities,and their researchers can facilitate the energy needs of the Caribbean such as development of small nuclear reactors. Lack of cheaper sources of energy is a hindrance to regional productivity.

A continued focus on climate change and emerging diseases, as well as an increased emphasis on cultural exchange, agricultural and tourism products are also identified by the president as issues to be advanced.

Edwards is co-chair of the CCI with David Farrar, president of McMaster University, the CCI’s lead Canadian partner. The announcement was made made by the board of directors on September 26.

“The partnership among Canadian and Caribbean tertiary institutions, built through the CCI, embodies the spirit of Canada-Caribbean collaboration over many decades,” says Farrar.

“The extension of this collaboration into the realms of academia and research in areas of mutual interest is of critical importance as we not only address the challenges with which we are confronted, but as we continue to deepen those historic ties.”

The CCI is developing a range of programming to engage and support member institutions including panel discussions, an online discussion forum, webinars and symposia.

The annual CCI Research Symposium provides a forum for discussion and knowledge exchange.This year’s symposium focuses on Climate Crisis, Resilience, and Alternative Energy Sources-( www.canadacaribbeaninstitute.org).