Prof. Anthony Harriott (Head of Department) |
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In his introduction to an earlier edition of this Handbook, Professor Stephen Vasciannie noted that the Department of Government has “a long tradition of scholarship within the University of the West Indies .” This is certainly true. However, we are a young university serving nations that have only recently been free and free to develop our educational institutions in a manner that truly serves us. We have traditions, but they are still being shaped. The first building blocks were laid by distinguished members of our faculty such as Professors Gladstone Mills, Archie Singham and Carl Stone. These former members of our faculty were models of independence of thought, service to the region and commitment to understanding it. They were also models of commitment to truth-seeking the truth and self-critical analyses. It is on these bases that they advocated development strategies and programmes for the improvement of the lives of the people.
As graduate students you are now a part of this tradition. We implore you to examine the values that form this tradition and to make them your own. You are not here just to get a degree but in so doing to equip yourselves to be competent professionals who are dedicated to further developing your professions and the region.
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You have been admitted to the graduate programme because you have distinguished yourselves at the undergraduate level. You are now entering a new stage of your career as a student. Earning a Master degree means mastering your discipline. A true commitment to excellence and the quest for mastery means upholding the standards of the Department and perhaps setting even higher personal standards. Meeting these standards requires hard work, disciplined consistency, academic rigor and perhaps a bit of sacrifice.
The region is faced with the many challenges of development. These are first of all intellectual challenges. We have a broad and interesting research agenda which you may help to shape. We trust that you will learn as we have much to offer, but we also expect you to contribute, to add value to the academic life of the department, to make it an interesting and vibrant place that you, your colleagues and the faculty will continue to enjoy. As we say, “this is your place to shine.”
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