In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Faculty members have also used interdisciplinary and innovative approaches to identify and address relevant Caribbean issues through impactful COVID-19 research. Colleagues, you may think that this is only a STEM-dominated area. However, I would like to share a few highlights of some of the great work Social Scientists who have investigated COVID-19.
The UWI Mona Campus activated a research cluster that connected researchers with expertise in various disciplines in a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary system, which was driven by the Faculty of Social Sciences. The research cluster examined Small Island Developing States and the SDGs in the Wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and targeted large international research grants to generate and promote awareness of research opportunities for potential postgraduate students as well as for research collaborations with staff and students in other universities.
In the interconnected world, the pandemic has not only affected lives but also had a strong impact on various sectors. To address the multiple impacts of COVID-19, the Faculty mobilised its expertise, knowledge and resources to help The UWI and Jamaica in its management and response to the pandemic. With expertise drawn from many areas, including social scientists, researchers, public health professionals, mental health professionals, tourism, finance, international relations, gender, and communication, among other areas, the Faculty employed a multi-faceted approach to examining COVID-19. An extensive list of areas that were examined included: Organizational continuity; Social fallout and response; Socio-economic impact; Economic impact; Impact on business and finance; Innovation and small business survival; Impact on poor communities; Impact on overseas farmworkers; Impact on fiscal sustainability; Post COVID-19 responses for productivity, health and social wealth; Impact on mental health and wellness; and Supply chain and logistics in COVID-19.
There were also several research projects spearheaded by Faculty members that were initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These included:
Our 7 faculties and 12 professional schools offer more than 200 programmes to some 18,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students.
The UWI, Mona ranks first in Jamaica among accredited tertiary-level programmes. In 2012, the University was again one of Jamaica’s Top 100 Employers.
