International invite

The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona is revamping its recruitment strategy to position itself as a competitive and stable alternative for international students.

This comes amid growing concerns over the United States (US) immigration crackdown on foreign students, which includes visa revocations, targeted detentions, and stricter ideological oversight.

“Jamaica is as good as the United States, you can come here. We have world-class education, and when you combine that with our rich culture, the friendliness of our people, and the good climate that we have here, this is an excellent choice,” Campus Registrar Dr Donovan Stanberry told The Gleaner.

On Tuesday, the US State Department announced a pause on new student visa appointments and signalled plans to intensify digital vetting procedures. This move is part of the Trump administration’s broader policy to tighten immigration and impose stricter ideological oversight on foreign students, particularly those attending liberal-leaning institutions.

Stanberry explained that UWI, Mona’s three-pillar recruitment strategy will target Jamaican students who may now feel uncertain about pursuing studies overseas, members of the Jamaican diaspora, and international students from countries such as Mexico and those on the African continent who would typically consider the US as their first choice for tertiary education.

He said the university’s recruitment team has been visiting schools and speaking to students who are making plans for tertiary education. The university has also been increasing its social media presence, and delivering direct engagement with diaspora audiences and strategic partners who work with international students.

“As we speak, we are actively preparing for our recruitment team to go into the United States, somewhere in the week of June. There is a whole series of diaspora events in the Philadelphia-New York belt,” he said.

He added: “We are actively engaging recruiters all over Africa, and in other countries; we are literally contracting them now to sell The University of the West Indies.”

Stanberry highlighted that the UWI, Mona has a five per cent global university ranking, a record of high-quality research, and a welcoming ecosystem focused on student success.

He noted that, currently, 10 per cent of students enrolled at UWI, Mona are regional and international students. Of this figure, only one to 1.5 per cent are from outside of the Caribbean.

He stated that UWI, Mona’s 2022-2027 goal is to have at least 1,000 international students attending the university.

He added that the university’s infrastructure is modern and well-equipped to accommodate these students.

“We have capacity,” he said. “I don’t think we need to do anything… we have over 4,000 rooms on campus which are of the highest standards that anybody from anywhere could come and live.”

In a statement last week, Professor Densil A. Williams, principal of UWI, Mona, noted that the university, founded in 1948, has made significant contributions to global development.

“UWI has cultivated a legacy of producing graduates who not only excel in their chosen fields, but also shape societies across the globe. We also have various programmes, vibrant campus life, and a deeply rooted Caribbean heritage. The UWI, Mona offers international students a world-class education experience in a supportive and culturally rich environment,” he said.

In the meantime, Stanberry said an increase in international student recruitment will also serve to increase the university’s revenue.

He noted that for general undergraduate degrees offered at The UWI, Mona, an international student would pay US$15,000, while local students would pay approximately US$2,510.

“The world over, in every university, international students do pay more for tuition in relation to local students; the same thing applies to The University of the West Indies. So the greater the proportion of your students that are international, the better you are in terms of revenue,” he said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com