The
UWI Regional Headquarters Jamaica.
Wednesday,
January 29, 2020—Since
the news of the Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, The University of
the West Indies (The UWI) has been closely monitoring the situation
in China. The UWI has an administrative presence and 36 students
enrolled in a BSc Software Engineering programme at UWI-China
Institute of Information Technology (UWICIIT) which allows for two
years of study at the Global Institute of Software Technology (GIST).
At this time of inter-semester break, 28 students and one
administrator are currently in Suzhou, China.

The
UWI is working closely with GIST and other relevant local authorities
in China to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff. 
It is also engaging global precautionary measures as well as the
positions adopted by its stakeholder governments in relation to
travel advisories and screening protocols. 

The
city of Suzhou is not within the epicentre
of the virus. Nevertheless, the GIST campus remains closed until
February 23 when the new semester is expected to begin. There is
continuous on-site support on the campus. Medical and screening
protocols have also been established. 

The
UWI leadership is in regular contact with GIST and is receiving
situation reports. The University has also held meetings with the
students and communicated directly with parents and guardians. 
The next meeting with parents and guardians is planned for Friday,
January 31.

Simultaneously,
the University is collaborating with regional entities and agencies
including the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), CARICOM
Secretariat, Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs, and others in
the regional management and response strategy. It has also convened
a group of experts to examine the issues and help inform
decision-making.  

Tomorrow, Thursday, January 30, The UWI will host a Vice-Chancellor’s Forum which will offer informed analysis and perspectives. The forum’s programme will include remarks from Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and feature UWI health experts along with Dr Joy St. John, CARPHA’s Executive Director. It begins at 1:00 pm (Jamaica)/2:00 pm (Eastern Caribbean) at The UWI Regional Headquarters, and will be carried live on UWItv’s cable television channel and livestreamed on www.uwitv.org.

About
GIST

The
Global Institute of Software Technology (GIST) is the host
institution for The UWI China Institute of Information Technology
(UWICIIT) BSc Software Engineering programme offered in China. The
UWICIIT was formed through an agreement between the institutions and
was officially opened in September of 2016. GIST is a Jiangsu
government approved IT Specialist College with two campuses. The
Suzhou New District (SND) campus is located in Suzhou Hi-Tech park
area in the western part of Suzhou. Its facilities can accommodate
10,000 students. While the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) Campus is
located at No. 567 Linquan Street, Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and
Education Innovation District, SIP Suzhou, P.R. China

About
The UWI

For
over 70 years The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has
provided service and leadership to the Caribbean region and wider
world. The UWI has evolved from a university college of London in
Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948 to an internationally
respected, regional university with near 50,000 students and five
campuses: Mona in Jamaica,
St. Augustine in Trinidad and
Tobago, Cave Hill in
Barbados, Five Islands
in Antigua and Barbuda and an Open Campus. As part of its robust
globalization agenda, The UWI has established partnering centres with
universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Africa
including the State
University of New York (SUNY)-UWI Center for Leadership and
Sustainable Development; the Canada-Caribbean Studies Institute
with Brock University; the Strategic Alliance for Hemispheric
Development with Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES); the UWI-China
Institute of Information Technology, the University of Lagos
(UNILAG)-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies and the
Institute for Global African Affairs with the University of
Johannesburg (UJ). The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma,
undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food &
Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical
Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. 

As
the region’s premier research academy, The UWI’s foremost
objective is driving the growth and development of the regional
economy. The world’s most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher
Education, has ranked The UWI among the top 600 universities in the
world for 2019 and 2020, and the 40 best universities in Latin
America and the Caribbean for 2018 and 2019. The UWI has been the
only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. For
more, visit www.uwi.edu.