UG, UWI student organisations agree to wide-ranging collaboration

Last Updated on Sunday, 29 November 2015, 2:15 by GxMedia

Student associations of the universities of Guyana and the West Indies Saturday formally agreed to cooperate to fight against all forms of discrimination and cooperate to improve academic, sport and cultural life at the several campuses.

Inked at the University of Guyana’s (UG) Turkeyen Campus by representatives of the University of Guyana Students Society and the Intercampus Guild Council of the University of the West Indies (IGCUWI), the memorandum would see the two organisations working together to weed out discrimination.

“To work towards the elimination of discriminatory treatment at any of the Universities, whether on the basis of race, colour, sex, gender, language, religious, political or other beliefs, national or social origin, property or HIV status,” states the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

UG has two campuses- Turkeyen and Tain- while UWI’s are at St. Augustine in Trinidad, Cave Hill in Barbados and Mona in Jamaica.

In the area of academia, the UGSS and ICGUWI intend to cooperate in the exchange of knowledge , information , students and research in areas of mutual interest. “To facilitate mutually beneficial training sessions, on terms agreed in writing between the parties especially but not limited to areas related to leadership, effective management, anti-corruption, and advocacy,” he said.

The two sides also agreed to facilitate study tours on the University Campuses and address the welfare of any student through collaboration in effective student representation.

The student bodies will also develop best-practices in student advocacy across the region and share technical expertise in representing students based on experience.

The UGSS and IGCUWI also agreed to foster and promote social and cultural activities among students of member Universities and work together to plan, implement and improve students across the universities in the areas of curriculum development, training and student services in the visual, creative and performing arts.

They recognise the importance of the visual, creative and performing arts in bolstering Caribbean identity, participating institutions endeavor to establish a regional showcase in the performing arts. 

The student organisations say they will seek financial assistance from  local, international, state/federal, philanthropic and other types of organisations to see the successful execution of

The idea of an MoU  between the UGSS and IGCUWI was first floated at a meeting of the latter organisation held recently in The Bahamas.