Leaders at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Five Islands Campus have lauded their new Centre for Excellence in Oceanography and Blue Economy for securing a significant grant from the International Seabed Authority.
Principal Professor Justin Robinson announced the achievement during the recent UWI Five Islands Campus Council meeting, highlighting the Centre as a future influence for Blue Economy research and development.
“The Centre for Excellence for Oceanography and Blue Economy is really our spearhead in building out the research agenda,” Robinson said. “This Centre has already generated a grant of $250,000 from the International Seabed Authority.”
In 2023, the Centre welcomed new leadership with the recruitment of Dr Anson Bobb, whom Robinson described as an “outstanding Caribbean scholar” who has “hit the ground running and done an amazing job.”
Despite being what Professor Robinson called “essentially a one-person operation” at this stage, the Centre has made an outsized impact.
“The Centre played a significant role in the SIDS conference that was hosted in Antigua and Barbuda,” Robinson noted, referring to the Small Island Developing States gathering where UWI Five Islands contributed to discussions on ocean governance and maritime resource management.
Vice Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles also emphasized the strategic importance of the Blue Economy focus during his remarks.
“Most of our planet is ocean territory,” Sir Hilary said, noting that Caribbean nations must look beyond land limitations to the “expanse of water that surrounds us” for purposes of energy, resource development, and security.
The Centre’s research will address climate resilience through ocean protection and sustainability while also exploring economic opportunities within the maritime environment.
According to Professor Robinson, these initiatives form part of the campus’ broader strategy to impact Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Eastern Caribbean.
“We don’t want to keep the expertise on the hill … we want Five Islands to reach out across the entire island and the Eastern Caribbean,” he said.