UWI to introduce new global online graduate school focused on SDGs

The University of the West Indies (UWI) is set to launch the world’s first global online graduate business school dedicated to leadership within the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This innovative program, which represents a significant step for the region’s leading academic institution, will be officially launched in Barbados on Wednesday, following nearly two years of preparation and strategic negotiations.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Education Minister, Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will also feature remarks from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and UWI Vice Chancellor, Professor Hilary Beckles.

The UWI’s new International School for Development Justice (ISDJ) has been funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and has received endorsement from the United Nations (UN). The school was created to address the critical need for educating and empowering both current and future leaders and activists within the context of the 17 UN SDGs.

Professor Beckles has described the ISDJ as “the largest and most transformative global project” in the history of the regional university.

“We have garnered strong support from the United Nations and its various departments, including the United Nations University in Tokyo. Our financial partner, the IDB, has been exceptionally supportive. Additionally, we have established collaborations with numerous other universities, including SUNY, Glasgow, Johannesburg, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network at Columbia University, led by Professor Jeffrey Sachs,” Beckles added.

The UWI is now the only university offering such a program, conceptualized to capitalize on its 20 years of excellence in online education through its Global Campus, its strategic alignment with the SDGs, and its global reputation as a leading authority on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“The UWI has achieved a perfect score of 100 percent for its efforts in supporting SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals, as recognized in the recently published Times Higher Education Impact Rankings,” the university noted.

Applications for the January 2025 intake are now open, with ISDJ offering Master’s degrees in fields such as Climate Studies, Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Public Health and Informatics, Sustainability and Data Analytics, Sustainability Management, and more.

One of the introductory courses will feature a masterclass on the Sustainable Development Goals led by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, a UN advisor and globally recognized expert in sustainable development. Sachs is among the Honorary Distinguished Fellows from around the world who will contribute to the scholarship and teaching at ISDJ.

Starting in January 2025, the ISDJ will offer a comprehensive range of laddered asynchronous online graduate programs, including one-year Master’s degrees and shorter micro-credential programs at the Certificate and Diploma levels. – (CMC)