The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona hosted the 20th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST), held at the Ocean Coral Spring Hotel in Trelawny under the theme “Contextual Design Science Research: Local Solutions for Global Challenges"  from June 2-4, 2025. The event brought together researchers, students, and industry professionals to explore how design science research can address both local and global challenges.

The conference was co-chaired by Prof. Gunjan Mansingh from the Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) and Prof. Lila Rao-Graham from the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM), with Dr. Ricardo Anderson (Lecturer, Department of Computing) serving as Programme Chair and Mr. Alton Bodley (Data Controller, Department of Computing) as Website and Submissions Chair. Their leadership highlighted UWI’s cross-campus collaboration and strong presence in the international research community.

DESRIST 2025 welcomed approximately 101 participants, including local and international delegates. One of the highlights was the Industry Workshop, which brought academic and industry leaders together to discuss real, world issues and how design science research and technologies like artificial intelligenc, can provide practical solutions.

The event also featured a prototype track, where four undergraduate students from the Department of Computing presented their capstone projects, “Proof of Life” and “UWI-GPT.” These presentations showcased the innovative work being done by students and the value of incorporating applied research into undergraduate education.

The Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Prof. Michael Taylor, delivered a keynote address, underscoring the importance of using research to tackle development challenges in the Caribbean and beyond.

Hosting DESRIST 2025 was a significant opportunity for UWI. It created space for knowledge sharing, strengthened global and regional partnerships, and gave visibility to the university’s role in leading research that responds to both global and local needs. For students and staff alike, it was a valuable experience that demonstrated UWI’s ongoing commitment to innovation, collaboration, and impact.

Photo caption: Participants at the DESRIST Conference hosted from June 2-4, 2025.