UWI launches quality policy
THE UNIVERSITY of the West Indies (The UWI) has launched a Quality Polic y which is designed to assure its stakeholders of the high quality of its academic and non-academic outputs.
The policy encompasses values including fitness of and for purpose, value for money, adherence to high standards – service excellence and transformative development of students and staff.
Speaking at the launch of the policy at The UWI’s Regional Headquarters in St Andrew on Monday, Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of The UWI, said the policy is both timely and essential as the university has gone global and is expanding at a rapid pace.
“Expansion often opens you to criticism. Some persons might assume that if you are expanding you must be reducing standards. The UWI can give the assurance [that] we are not. We are achieving simultaneously a quantitative and qualitative revolution,” Sir Hilary said.
Referring to The UWI’s strategic plan 2017-2020, the vice-chancellor said the quality policy was key to achieving the Triple A strategy – access, alignment and agility – which is at the core of the plan.
Noting that “no plan can stand without a culture of accountability”, Sir Hilary said: “The UWI strategic plan and quality policy must be seen within the continuing context of the university’s sustained public service and persistent institutional excellence and endurance.”
Professor Alan Cobley, pro-vice chancellor, Undergraduate Studies, The UWI, said: “The UWI quality policy requires that all UWI sections plan, implement, evaluate and improve operations to achieve the Triple A - The quality policy is relevant to everybody and sustains and builds on the legacy of the forefathers of The UWI.”
AIMING TO REDUCE DROP OUT RATE
Noting that “quality is critical in everything we do”, Cobley said while The UWI had set a goal of adding 15,000 students by 2020, the university was equally focused on increasing the graduate rate and reducing the drop out rate.
Dr Kay Thompson, senior programme officer, Quality Assurance Unit, The UWI, Cave Hill said “the qualit y polic y will see the transformative development of students and staff towards meeting/exceeding stakeholder needs now and in the future”.
The implementation of the quality policy was lauded by The UWI Registrar, William Iton; Kai Bridgewater, president of the Guild of Representatives, Cave Hill; and Celia Davidson-Francis, director of alumni relations.