KINGSTON, Jamaica — Approximately four out of every five graduates from the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) over the past two years are female, according to statistics provided by the institution.

Only 205 men graduated from the UCC out of 983 students in 2020 and 2021 or a mere 20.9 per cent, the figures reveal. 

In 2020, 88 men graduated from the UCC compared to 308 women, while in 2021 there were 117 male graduates and 470 women.

More than half of the graduates came from the School of Business and Management, with smaller numbers from the Departments of Business Administration, Public Administration, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Information Technology and Behavioural Sciences.

The UCC staged a virtual Commencement Exercise for the two graduating classes last Sunday (July 18) following the cancellation of last year’s function because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his address at the function UCC Group Executive Chairman Dr Winston Adams expressed pride at the achievements of the graduands, and said that despite the pandemic the institution had “expanded, excelled and contributed to the growth and development of Jamaica and the Commonwealth in a range of initiatives”.

Among the initiatives outlined by Dr Adams include an agreement with the University of Arizona for students in the Caribbean to pursue Bachelors and Masters degrees from that institution with leaving home; UCC Corporate University under which staff in businesses will be upskilled; and the launch of the UCC Business Development and Consulting Institute to provide accounting and financial management services to Micro, Small and Medium-size enterprises (MSME).

The UCC has 7000 students at all levels and 400 administrative staff and faculty members.

Luke Douglas