The University of the West Indies: Diversity and Change

Abstract

This study examines the changes which were observed in the composition of student enrolment at the University of the West Indies over two decades, and highlights the movement towards greater inclusiveness, as the University campus in Jamaica enrolled greater proportions of students from rural backgrounds, and from lower income levels. The analysis shows that over this period (1983–2003), the University was itself seeking to become more responsive to regional needs and developmental priorities, while nonetheless being hampered by the limitations of the secondary school system, which still bore the colonial imprint of dual and unequal tracks. The chapter concludes with an assessment of the institutional demands that are generated by increasing diversity, and assesses the extent to which the UWI and the country have been able to respond effectively to these student needs.

Citation

Anderson, P. and Devonish, J. (2012), "The University of the West Indies: Diversity and Change", Allen, W.R., Teranishi, R.T. and Bonous-Hammarth, M. (Ed.) As the World Turns: Implications of Global Shifts in Higher Education for Theory, Research and Practice (Advances in Education in Diverse Communities, Vol. 7), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 285-319. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-358X(2012)0000007016