Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Professor Dale Webber has revealed that he will not be renewing his contract when his tenure ends this year.

This was disclosed during the UWI, Mona Annual Council meeting on Friday.

“If we go back to 2018 I was happily [the] Pro-Vice-Chancellor for graduate studies and research, living the time of my life and enjoying what I do best, which is research. I saw a need for someone who has been at the campus for 30 years, who loves the campus – I owe everything I am to this campus – to make an intervention because an opportunity presented itself,” Webber said.

Webber added that his mission was to stabilise the university, and he believes this was done to some extent.

“ The campus had made a number of overtures into a number of places to grow, and I just got the solid feeling that we had over extended ourselves. My mission was to reduce debt, my mission was to consolidate what the campus had done into an opportunity for students to get the best possible return on the investments that we had done,” he continued.

Adding that his job was also to offer the staff the opportunity to rekindle their teaching, research, outreach and self-appraisal, Webber said, “I think the five years we have done that.”

He went on to say that his mission was also to secure the resources to take the campus to the next level.

“It is time for somebody who can take the baton, who can do that new launch, who can take the campus to the next step,” he said.

Despite receiving requests to remain as principal, Webber said he intends to return to his “number one love,” – research.

“I intend to go back to have all that I can do in terms of research to facilitate, help and grow the campus, this country and this region,” Webber said.

Webber, who was appointed the role of principal in August 2018, served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for graduate studies and research between August 1 2015 and July 31, 2018.

Notably, the principal has had a distinguished career in coastal ecology and environmental management, as well as a consistent record of teaching, graduate supervision, administration and research excellence during his 30 years at the institution.