Messages
Message from Vice President, Graduate Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship
Graduate Studies is Demanding, Exciting, and Rewarding!
Education is central to the long-term development of human capital and to economic growth. It empowers people and strengthens nations, while also providing individuals with the skills they need to compete in today’s global economy, where a high-quality education is critical for creating, applying and disseminating knowledge (The World Bank).
I am pleased that you have chosen the University of Technology, Jamaica as the place to pursue advanced studies.
Pursuing graduate studies is at once demanding, exciting, and rewarding. Demanding in that it requires students to exit and exert themselves well-beyond their “cognitive comfort zones.” Exciting and rewarding in that it provides opportunities for students to be creative and produce work that extends the boundaries of existing knowledge or apply existing knowledge in novel ways to advance societal welfare.
Higher education institutions (HEIs), such as universities, have a special role to play in knowledge generation through research and in the application of said knowledge to satisfy needs or solve problems, through innovation. In fact, to “preserve, advance and disseminate knowledge and culture through teaching, scholarship and research’ as well as to “make available the results of such research and service” are expressly stated as being among the purpose for which UTech, Jamaica was established.
Jamaica has articulated an innovation-centric development strategy. Therefore, UTech, Jamaica is one of the key HEIs that must meet the demands of Jamaica for highly-skilled innovation-capable graduates equipped with the technical, creative, and critical thinking skills required to innovate regardless of their field of study. Innovation is certainly an imperative for Jamaica. Now celebrating its 62nd Anniversary, and granted Institutional Accreditation in December 2018, by the University Council of Jamaica, UTech, Jamaica is equal to the task; indeed the history of the institution is closely connected with the social and economic development of Jamaica.
Here at UTech, Jamaica, through the graduate courses that we offer, we are committed to preparing the next generation of thought leaders and researchers who will advance the stock of knowledge and solve problems.
Paul W. Ivey, PhD
Associate Professor & Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies, Research & Entrepreneurship