On Monday, October 16, 1967 the College of Arts and Science at Barbados, which had been temporarily situated at Deep Water Harbour, opened the academic year at the new university buildings at Cave Hill, on a 45 acre site provided by the Government of Barbados.

The existence of the Cave Hill Campus began when the Chancellor of UWI, Her Royal Highness the Princess Alice, laid the foundation stone for the buildings at the new Campus on January 25 , 1966. The first phase of the building programme was completed in the summer of 1967, and the College was transferred from the temporary site in August of that same year.

To mark the opening of the Cave Hill Campus, staff of the College organized a formal opening ceremony held on February 6 , 1968 at which the Chancellor received the 1967 graduates and the U.K. Minister of Overseas Development, the Rt. Hon. Reginald Prentice, M.P., presented and unveiled a special commemoration panel. The formal opening ceremony was followed by a graduation ceremony.

At the time of the opening of the new Campus, the total enrolment of full and part-time students was 300, including 125 freshmen. There were 58 students from the Leeward and Windward Islands of whom 34 were freshmen.