The College of the West Indies (UWI) World Campus (previously Open Campus) mourns the passing of Mr Matthew William, former College Consultant, Resident Tutor, and Head of the College Centre in The Bahamas. His colleagues described him as “a gentleman, a scholar, an instructional chief, a diplomat, a Caribbean man, and an astute observer of Bahamian politics and way of life.”
Born in Aruba, Netherland Antilles to Grenadian mother and father, Mr William obtained his Bachelor of Arts and a Certificates in Schooling from the College of Manchester in the UK and a Grasp of Schooling from the College of Miami, Florida. Though not a graduate of The UWI, he was a proud affiliate alumnus and Life Member of The UWI Alumni Affiliation (UWIAA). He established the Grenadian Mission in Venezuela in 1980 and served as Ambassador for Grenada to Venezuela from 1980-1985.
Mr William’s service to The UWI spans eighteen (18) years from 1990 to his retirement in 2008. His work and dedication by means of service, management, and the development of upper training for all within the Bahamas had been evident in his care and concern for college kids and his promotion of The UWI. He was a passionate advocate for underserved and deprived college students and maintained a relentless voice in assist of the promotion of English and different languages in addition to arithmetic training. He was additionally a believer in technological development that might strengthen the aggressive benefit of the College in The Bahamas.
Throughout his service, Matthew William represented The UWI as its official consultant at a number of conferences with Ministries of presidency in The Bahamas, together with Schooling, Well being, Agriculture, Finance, and Immigration. By his networking and management roles, he ensured the upkeep of an correct file of the affect of the College within the Bahamas; addressed immigration officers on the methods of bettering the remedy of UWI college students on the airport; addressed many service golf equipment within the Nassau and Freeport areas on the work of the West Indies Fee; and at symposia on the way forward for Caribbean Integration.
He contributed selflessly to the work of the College as he served as a member of the Tutorial Programming Committee on the former College of Persevering with Research and Distance Schooling Centre and on the Board for Non-Campus Nations (NCC) and Distance Schooling concurrently from 2003-2005; as a member of the Council and Senate of the College representing the previous NCCs from 1993-1994; and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Commerce Union Schooling Institute from 1999-2008.
He had a robust curiosity in commerce unions and labour relations, in addition to grownup training. A few of his publications on these matters embody articles, conferences, and seminar papers on “UWI in The Bahamas:
Educating Adults” revealed in Grownup Schooling in Caribbean Universities, Kingston, Jamaica: UNESCO 2002, “Commerce Union within the New Millenium” offered on the thirteenth Triennial Convention of the Commerce Union Congress in The Bahamas, February 26, 1999, “The Influence of Haitian Immigration on the Instructional System in The Bahamas” offered on the Caribbean Research Affiliation Convention, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, Might 22-27, 1995, and “UWI in The Bahamas: Forging Relationships” in YOUWEQ #3, 2000.
His multidimensional contributions to increased training had been influenced by sensible and life like approaches that had been constant along with his beliefs and values. His excellent scholarship, his management and his collegiate sense of obligation and repair had been a few of his excellent attributes. In July 2008, on his retirement from the College, the Open Campus honoured him for his work and dedication to service, management, and the development of upper training.
Professional Vice-Chancellor and Principal, The UWI World Campus, Dr. Francis O. Severin reminisces the moments spent with Mr William on the College of Persevering with Research (SCS) Director’s conferences whereas they each served as Resident Tutors and Heads of their respective jurisdictions. “Matthew judiciously crafted and formed his interventions at these conferences. His factors had been all the time nicely made, stable and got here from a spot of deep contemplation. Certainly, he was the classic and important diplomat. It was a pleasure to work with him.” Dr Severin provides, “We now have seen just a few of our precursor SCS Resident Tutors and Heads depart in latest occasions, and, of their recollections, we should pause to ruminate on their collective dedication to the supply of training and coaching to the least of our sisters and brothers, to invoke Biblical language. As this period involves an finish, it’s maybe the precise time to revamp and revitalize our dedication to leaving nobody behind, which is the grounding philosophy of the World Campus and its predecessors.”
The World Campus Senior Administration Group extends honest condolences to his spouse and youngsters, in addition to his colleagues and mates. Might his soul relaxation in peace.
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