Message from the President
I am happy to welcome new and returning students to the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) for the academic year 2009/2010. Special welcome to our international students who have come from both close to home from across the Caribbean and from further ashore from the United States, Surinam, Brazil, Nigeria, Fiji, India, Russia and Germany. I welcome you wholeheartedly to the UTech family and assure you that you have made the best decision to invest in a world-class educational experience at UTech.
UTech is committed to providing each student with every opportunity to learn, grow, develop, and reach their full potential as a valued member of the UTech community, the nation and the global workforce. It is with this in mind that our students have the opportunity to pursue studies in a variety of programmes relevant to the demands of our increasingly competitive knowledge-based economy.
The University boasts a unique heritage of providing education and training in the fields of business and management, architecture and construction management, engineering and computing, pharmacy and health sciences and teacher education. As the demand for training evolves, the University seeks to continuously expand and upgrade our academic programmes to meet relevant workforce needs.
As such, in the last academic year we established the Faculty of Law and introduced several new courses of study. Effective at the beginning of this Academic Year, the College of Health Sciences comes into effect replacing the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The College comprises four schools - Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Health, Public Health and Dental Sciences. Other new courses of study will continue to come on stream and you will hear more about these in due course.
Not only have you come to the best place in the land to pursue your tertiary studies in whatever academic discipline you have chosen; you also have the enviable privilege of being in the “Home of World Class Athletes”. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, 12 UTech-based athletes were on the Jamaica team winning 8 or 73% of Jamaica’s 11 medals. The UTech delegation brought home 8 medals: 5 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze. No other University in the world can claim to have ever surpassed this remarkable feat!
It is my hope that you will be inspired by the spirit of hard work and tenacity of our athletes as you pursue your academic goals.
Do make the most of your sojourn at UTech by fully immersing yourself in campus life by participating in cultural activities, intellectual and sporting events, student clubs and societies and community service.
Welcome to Jamaica’s premier national University. May your journey take you along a path of personal fulfillment and lifelong learning. Make the best of the opportunities afforded you, and never hesitate to ask for help and guidance along the way. My very best wishes for a successful Academic Year.
Prof. the Hon. Errol Morrison, OJ, MD, PhD, FRCP (Glasg), FACP, FRSM (UK), FRSH, FJIM.
Message from the Vice President, Student Services and University Registrar
It is with pleasure that I extend a warm welcome to our new international students who will be joining the UTech family and welcome back to our continuing international students. I trust that your holiday was relaxing and that you are prepared to continue on your educational journey.
For new students in particular, being away from home and from the things that are familiar to you can be traumatic. Therefore, we make every effort to integrate you into the University community through socio-cultural activities such as International Day and expose you to situations that will help to familiarize you with life on and off campus. This includes the City Tour which exposes you to your new surroundings. The tour also affords you the opportunity to take a peek at the many cultural landmarks in our city.
The University continues to expand its programme offerings to meet the needs of a growing student population and to improve its services to students through the introduction of greater scheduling flexibility. We trust that you will experience the benefits of these changes.
We welcome your contribution and the diversified experience that you bring and invite you to take the time to “assimilate” yourself in our culture. Becoming a member of the International Student’s Association will facilitate this process.
The staff of the International Students’ Office will assist with matters such as immigration related services and general queries. Please visit the office as soon as you arrive on campus and meet the staff; they will deal with your queries and see to your general well-being.
Study hard, remain focused on your main goal, and enjoy the experience that can be gained only from studying abroad.
Again, I welcome you. It is my hope that you will have a rewarding and successful year.
Dianne Mitchell (Mrs.)
Vice President, Student Services, and University Registrar
Message from the International Students’ Coordinator
The International Students’ Office welcomes our new and returning international students for the new academic year. Exciting changes are taking place here at UTech, all of which are designed to enhance your university experience and to enable us to deliver high quality education efficiently. For example, we have implemented a new on-line registration system which will make registration more efficient. Other changes are being designed and implemented as the University continues to expand its programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels in order to remain relevant in our changing global and economic environment.
Please read your Student Handbook, it is an important and useful source of information on the University, its policies, procedures, and regulations. It also provides a wealth of material on the various student services that are that are available to you.
I urge you to participate fully in the various clubs and societies on-campus. This is an important dimension to your university experience; get to know your representatives from the Students’ Union as well as those from the University International Students’ Association (UTISA) and be mindful that the activities provided are intended for your personal development.
Finally, let me remind you that the International Students’ Office is yours to utilize and the staff is always available to assist in making your sojourn at the University successful and enjoyable.
We wish you well.
Janice Sinclair-Morgan (Mrs.)
International Students’ Coordinator
Message from the President, University International Students’ Association
It is my privilege as President of the University International Students’ Association (UTISA) to greet you for the academic year 2009/2010. To the returning students, I say welcome back and hope you had a wonderful vacation. To the new students, I bid you a very special welcome to Jamaica, to the University of Technology, Jamaica, and to the UTISA family.
This is now going to be your home away from home so make the best of it. It may be difficult at first to adjust to the new environment but just relax, embrace the culture and make new friends. UTISA is here to assist you with any problems you may encounter during your time here.
The upcoming year will be very challenging in many ways, not only academically but also financially. Nevertheless, I urge you to stay focused at all times. Devising a plan now will help you to prepare for meeting any challenges with which you might be faced; and the plan will guide you along the journey to achieving your goals. Here are a few tips for surviving school life: eat well; get enough sleep; exercise; avoid alcohol and illegal drugs; do your work; don’t procrastinate; and every now and then take time out to relax.
The executive body of UTISA has planned many activities for the new academic year to contribute to making your time here as fulfilling as possible. These activities will allow you to explore Jamaica, showcase your cultures and countries, have fun, and unite as one student body. We look forward to your full support of UTISA and in particular, the planned activities.
I wish you all the best for the academic year 2009-2010 and beyond. Enjoy!
Sincerely
Kamarla Questelles (Miss.)
President, University of Technology International Students’ Association