Dr. Tomlin Paul (center), Deputy Principal of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, Campus, welcomes a distinguished delegation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to the Mona Campus on March 12-13, 2025.

Their visit aimed to deepen academic partnerships and broaden collaborations across multiple disciplines.  UIUC has a strong commitment to fostering partnerships with institutions in the Global South, particularly in areas such as sustainability, education, and global health. The delegation, which included three UWI alumni—Dr. Japhia Jayasingh Ramkumar, Clinical Associate Professor, Carle Illinois College of Medicine; Dr. Davendra Ramkumar, Associate Professor, Carle Illinois College of Medicine; and Dr. Narissa Brown, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Gies College of Business—explored new opportunities in medicine, business, science and technology, engineering, and education. The team also included Dr. Sammer Jones, Director for Global Relations. During their visit, they toured the UWI Museum, the Usain Bolt Track, and the Mona Chapel, and connected with numerous faculty and staff. They also participated in Research Day, held on March 13, 2025. Dr. Paul expressed enthusiasm for the visit, stating, “This visit is timely as we are currently embarking on a global health strategy with a primary focus on the Western Campus due to its proximity to Cornwall Regional Hospital.