As Cuba grapples with deepening socio-economic instability that has drawn regional and international scrutiny, the Caribbean’s leading higher education institution, The University of the West Indies (UWI), is stepping forward to foster constructive dialogue and deliver tangible support to its neighboring island nation.
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, UWI will convene a special Vice-Chancellor’s Forum, branded “Perspectives on the Current Cuban Crisis: Issues, Impact, and Imperatives.” The hybrid event will kick off at 11:00 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time (Eastern Caribbean) and 10:00 a.m. Jamaica Time, hosting in-person attendees at the Eon Nigel Harris Council Room in UWI’s Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, while opening global access via a free live stream on UWI TV.
Cuba’s current challenges extend far beyond its borders, creating ripple effects that touch the entire Caribbean community. The country is currently confronting cascading crises: widespread shortages of life-sustaining essential goods, persistent energy sector disruptions that cripple daily life and economic activity, and mounting systemic economic pressures. Compounding these domestic strains are long-running external headwinds, including decades-old international trade restrictions, volatile fluctuations in tourism revenue—Cuba’s largest foreign exchange earner—and growing migration pressures that strain regional stability. As global geopolitical and economic dynamics continue to shift, Cuba’s situation has become an urgent priority for coordinated regional dialogue and collective action.
Recognizing its unique mandate as the Caribbean’s preeminent thought leader, UWI has paired its convening role with a concrete humanitarian commitment. Throughout the month of June, the university is running the “One-UWI Humanitarian Effort,” a campus-wide initiative that mobilizes staff, students, alumni, and institutional partners across all five of UWI’s physical campuses to raise monetary donations for critical essential supplies for the Cuban people. The campaign frames support as a collective regional responsibility, turning institutional solidarity into direct, on-the-ground assistance.
The upcoming forum will bring together a diverse, globally recognized panel of experts, diplomats, and academic leaders to unpack the multifaceted dimensions of Cuba’s crisis. Opening remarks will be delivered by UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Her Excellency Tania López Larroque, Cuba’s Ambassador to Jamaica. Confirmed panelists include Professor Emerita Jessica Byron-Reid, former head of UWI’s Institute of International Relations; Professor Bert Hoffmann, Lead Researcher at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA); Professor Andy Knight, Distinguished University Professor at the University of Alberta; Dr. Miriam Nicado, Rector of the University of Havana; and Dr. Indira Rampersad, Head of the Department of Political Science at UWI St. Augustine. The discussion will be co-moderated by Professor Canute S. Thompson, UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies, and Professor Don D. Marshall, Director of UWI’s Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES), with Ambassador Gillian Bristol, Director of UWI’s Latin American-Caribbean Centre (LACC), serving as chair of the in-person event.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Forum series, a flagship UWI public engagement platform that has operated for more than a decade under Beckles’ leadership, is designed to bring cross-sector expertise to bear on the most pressing challenges facing the Caribbean and the broader global community. The series regularly convenes leading academics, policymakers, and frontline practitioners to unpack complex socio-economic, political, and developmental issues, translating expert analysis into actionable insight for regional stakeholders.
Members of the public worldwide are invited to join the discussion for free via UWI TV’s official website, www.uwitv.global, or through the platform’s regional Flow cable channels, offering anyone the chance to engage with the critical conversation around Cuba’s future.
Donations to the One-UWI Humanitarian Effort can be made at any time through June via the official campaign portal: https://bit.ly/ONEUWI4CUBA.
Founded in 1948 as a small medical college affiliated with the University of London, UWI has grown over 75 years into a globally recognized, comprehensive public research university serving the entire Caribbean. Today, the institution counts nearly 50,000 students across five core campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and its fully remote Global Campus, alongside partnership research and study centers across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. UWI offers more than 1,000 academic programs spanning certificate, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels across 10 broad disciplinary areas, holding the distinction of being the only English-speaking Caribbean university featured in four of the Times Higher Education (THE) prestigious global ranking lists, including the World University Rankings, Golden Age University Rankings, Latin America Rankings, and Impact Rankings, which assess institutional contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.