no UWI or UTT in global rankings....

[88sins]

allyuh really late on this one

but better late than never I suppose

[desifemlove]

^ I am talking about Engineering and Science Degrees.

Off course UWI has garbage degrees I am fully aware of that. Offcourse they are dropping their entry requirements for a number of degrees that are not even accredited internationally. I have been very specific with my wording with regards to Engineering and Computer Science degrees from UWI, the engineering which are triple accredited.

My uncle did his PHd in Physics at Oxford using his UWI degrees to gain entry. Only a fool would think UWI is some sort of backwater 3rd world University. Just because some degrees are sheit at UWI doesn't mean all are.

doesn't mean UWI is as rated as it was before.

[RedVEVO]

^ I am talking about Engineering and Science Degrees.

Off course UWI has garbage degrees I am fully aware of that. Offcourse they are dropping their entry requirements for a number of degrees that are not even accredited internationally. I have been very specific with my wording with regards to Engineering and Computer Science degrees from UWI, the engineering which are triple accredited.

My uncle did his PHd in Physics at Oxford using his UWI degrees to gain entry. Only a fool would think UWI is some sort of backwater 3rd world University. Just because some degrees are sheit at UWI doesn't mean all are.

My uncle Tom did his PHd in Stones at UWI using his UWI degrees to gain entry. Only a fool would think UWI is some sort of backwater 3rd world University. Just because some degrees are sheit at UWI doesn't mean all are ..

And he is PM .

[Daran]

UWI is crap compared to top international institutions. You can't compare them.

But it's still wrong to say it's utter sheit. Like I said, I got into a top 20 (globally ranked) university with my UWI degree. In my class every european, south Asian pacific and American student was levels ahead of me. The only students aside from myself who weren't up to scratch were a few of the Indians (and not all, smartest dude in class was from IIT) and Africans. None of us were less intelligent per say but our undergrad universities never exposed to depth and rigor of work the other students work.

Also, another reason UWI's rep is low is their level of academic research is significantly lacking.

[Advent]

This is why the Degree Accreditation and Work Experience means everything, University ranking means little.

Go tell that to Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Oxford and others.

I guarantee you if someone from Harvard with a Computer Science degree and someone from UWI with a Computer Science degree both go for a job interview. And the UWI graduate passes the programming test and the Harvard grad fails it the UWI grad will get the job. If the Harvard grad has no experience and the UWI grad has the experience the UWI grad will get the job.

This is not to say that Harvard, MIT and Oxford isn't the most recognized offcourse they are, very few on this planet will ever have the grades to enter those Universities.

Some of the best computer scientists out here right now have things like degrees in theater.

https://barryrountree.files.wordpress.c ... /vitae.pdf

This guy is one of the best Computer Scientists in High-performance computing, parallel debugging tools. He is better than most Harvard grads few can dream of coming close to him and his Bsc is in theater and his Phd is computer science from University of Arizona.

Experience and Skill beats a degree from the best University anyday, a degree is only a ticket to an interview to get past HR and every employer knows this.

Are you insane? In what world is a UWI grad being hired before a Harvard grad in Computer Science field? In Palo Alto? What programming tests you talking about? To work at Facebook or something? How the UWI graduate even getting that interview? What brand of cool-aid are you drinking. The UWI grad not even getting hired before the Harvard grad here in Trinidad. You do know that there are National Scholarship winners who cannot find gainful employment here at home right....LMAO

agreed, we hadda get rick and morty to find a universe where that would happen hahaha

[timelapse]

And still Trinidadians with UWI degrees try to pop down My University of London degree.Oh well...

[Numb3r4]

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/world-ranking#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/scores

so then, what value do these unis have, and are they valued in the world?

They only list the Top 980 Universities.....

UWI. St. Augustine is ranked at 1849 according to Ranking Web of Universities. (http://www.webometrics.info/en/Americas/Caribbean).

From that link I got the total number of Universities ranked at 11999, which would mean that St. Augustine is ranked in the top 20% (I think 15.4%), not entirely bad.

If you take into consideration the other characteristics of the ranking then St. Augustine is still fairly well off in standings all things considered.

True though I will not say that this is GREAT and FANTASTIC there is always room for improvement. I think the real failing of the institution maybe with the amount of exposure that the institution can give to its students. When one considers what is available to the students of other institutions then we can see where the difference lies, when you are located in a country that is the home of the major multi-nationals that they themselves are responsible for the funding of major research and technological developments what do you expect of their talent?

The better question would be why isn't UWI benefiting from greater industrial and corporate support. The MSc./BSc. Petroleum Engineering programme's tuition is one of the cheapest, why because of the industrial support that it gets, mostly from the foreign multi-nationals. This is the kind of attitude that is needed from the local industry when this happens we may see some more innovation.

Also the nature of Trinidad and Tobago is a big factor, many of the graduates (UWI and otherwise), tend to only be able to find employment in certain specific areas, industry, oil and gas, medicine and law/legal system/state. With this lack of variety what do you expect.

A good place to start is with the University and its food preparation department and the Cocoa research unit, which could be or should be a leading entity is the manufacture and sale of Trinbagonian chocolate, in this instance Trinidad and Tobago can have if not a monopoly but a significant impact on the cocoa-chocolate supply chain.

[88sins]

The better question would be why isn't UWI benefiting from greater industrial and corporate support. The MSc./BSc. Petroleum Engineering programme's tuition is one of the cheapest, why because of the industrial support that it gets, mostly from the foreign multi-nationals. This is the kind of attitude that is needed from the local industry when this happens we may see some more innovation.

This is one of those chicken & egg questions.
Corporate & industrial T&T do not like the idea of spending funds without seeing how they will receive a substantial financial return on their investment in a relatively short space of time.
If the corporate & industrial sectors were to substantially support UWI with funding & other resources, with the intent to improve the curriculum, etc, & thus the improving on the quality of degree that graduates obtain, that means that graduates themselves will be more valuable, which will mean they can command a higher salary, which in turn means it costs the corporate & industrial sectors more to employ them. See the direction it's headed in? Not to mention UWI has had a history of enjoying an autonomous existence, & I seriously doubt the administration would enjoy having to that position come to a close, especially when it comes to accounting for a benefactors contributions. I do not believe any corporate benefactor would be content with simply injecting large sums of finances into UWI & just sit back & let them how & where it's used & how much of the contribution should directly benefit the sponsor, least of all not be accountable for the distribution of those contributions.

People need to see UWI for what it truly is, a 4th world institution desperately trying to pass itself off as a 3rd world college but only being successful with that deception to those that don't know better & only within the region. And students, as well as financial supporters of UWI need to demand better from the institution for the tuition & other fees UWI collects, & the administration needs to step up their game wrt the degree programs offered & the quality of the programs.
Outside of the Caribbean, UWI might be acknowledged to exist by a few places, but not held in any high esteem. The necessary changes need to start from the top, with the leadership & their policies, & move forward form there.


That's my 2 cents.

[Numb3r4]

The better question would be why isn't UWI benefiting from greater industrial and corporate support. The MSc./BSc. Petroleum Engineering programme's tuition is one of the cheapest, why because of the industrial support that it gets, mostly from the foreign multi-nationals. This is the kind of attitude that is needed from the local industry when this happens we may see some more innovation.

This is one of those chicken & egg questions.
Corporate & industrial T&T do not like the idea of spending funds without seeing how they will receive a substantial financial return on their investment in a relatively short space of time.
If the corporate & industrial sectors were to substantially support UWI with funding & other resources, with the intent to improve the curriculum, etc, & thus the improving on the quality of degree that graduates obtain, that means that graduates themselves will be more valuable, which will mean they can command a higher salary, which in turn means it costs the corporate & industrial sectors more to employ them. See the direction it's headed in? Not to mention UWI has had a history of enjoying an autonomous existence, & I seriously doubt the administration would enjoy having to that position come to a close, especially when it comes to accounting for a benefactors contributions. I do not believe any corporate benefactor would be content with simply injecting large sums of finances into UWI & just sit back & let them how & where it's used & how much of the contribution should directly benefit the sponsor, least of all not be accountable for the distribution of those contributions.

I would say that GATE spoilt the University....it was easier to rely on just tuition and produce students than to try to find external funding. Had GATE not been then maybe the institution would have had to better curry favour with private industry and so build better relationships. Having to source funding would have made them more accountable.

With regards to depressing the labour market...are we referring to local industry or foreign, from my little experince I think foreign industry seems to better sponsor local talent then local industry. Again I reference the oil and gas sector, it being probably the ONLY properly developed industrial sector, where the tuition for the Pet Eng programme is fairly low facilitating student participation, is the level of innovation high not really many play it safe (that could point to a particular culture), however many of the graduates have gone on to work locally and internationally with distinction...now with the down turn and changing energy market this may no longer be possible. However it does point to the fact that if the insituition is supported it can produce. The issue now becomes how can this be exported to other faculties and subject areas? Hate to say this but diversity anyone......

I do remember one project that a student was doing on battery technology or an investigation into battery technology but the main complaint/question was where is it going? There was also a kid who investigated and built a prototype electric motorcycle (https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2017/02/01/battery-powered-innovation/). Seriously....now here is the thing he has since left the Caribbean and gone on to study at Brunel....but he did it with a UWI degree....in this instance I would say the institution has produced but the follow through wasn't there....he went on to cite the fact that the Caribbean didn't have a market....sound familiar....

[dude2014]

In the same Degree say for example Civil or electrical, there are BSC, BENg and BTech.
Each filling a particular need in the related field.

In America at one time they wanted BTech graduates and in England it was BEng.
So with BSc you stick out like a sore thumb in that environment. It had GATE and a lot of persons became involved. However they did not think it out carefully, so they now have a degree in the wrong area of study.

A relative who accepted VTEP in Trinidad went to the US and was working in a furniture factory. HIs area was Accounting. When they became aware of his experience, he got promoted almost instantly as he possess the skill and tenacity to get the job done. That was when he went to University and got his degree.

I want to wish ALL graduate good luck and advise them at the same time to not sit on their ass as the pannier is full of cocoa beans, least they become has been ....................

[Numb3r4]

^^^ Things hard now for everybody graduate or otherwise, job offers/opportunities as well as business and sales are just plain DOWN.....even small mom and pop businesses are cutting hours....which means that eventually everybody will be that much closer to the bread line qualified or not.

[De Dragon]

A degree pr*ck measuring thread? Slow times on 2NR these days...........

[widdyphuck]

^^^ Things hard now for everybody graduate or otherwise, job offers/opportunities as well as business and sales are just plain DOWN.....even small mom and pop businesses are cutting hours....which means that eventually everybody will be that much closer to the bread line qualified or not.

Things not gonna get any better any time soon...

[Numb3r4]

^^^ Things hard now for everybody graduate or otherwise, job offers/opportunities as well as business and sales are just plain DOWN.....even small mom and pop businesses are cutting hours....which means that eventually everybody will be that much closer to the bread line qualified or not.

Things not gonna get any better any time soon...

Well boy......

[desifemlove]

UWI is crap compared to top international institutions. You can't compare them.

But it's still wrong to say it's utter sheit. Like I said, I got into a top 20 (globally ranked) university with my UWI degree. In my class every european, south Asian pacific and American student was levels ahead of me. The only students aside from myself who weren't up to scratch were a few of the Indians (and not all, smartest dude in class was from IIT) and Africans. None of us were less intelligent per say but our undergrad universities never exposed to depth and rigor of work the other students work.

Also, another reason UWI's rep is low is their level of academic research is significantly lacking.

Yuh is dumb then?

[RBphoto]

UWI and UTT serve our local market well. Once you have work experience, nobody cares for your university diploma. Many people went abroad from doing well in those institutions and studied elsewhere/ got employed elsewhere.