The installation of Sir Ronald Sanders as the 11th Chancellor of the University of Guyana brought together regional academic leaders, diplomats, and government officials on February 13 at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre on the university’s Turkeyen Campus.
Among those in attendance was Dr. Colwick M. Wilson, President of the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC), who traveled to Georgetown to offer congratulatory remarks and reaffirm the importance of strengthening partnerships among Caribbean institutions of higher learning.
Sir Ronald, an internationally respected diplomat and Caribbean statesman, took the oath of office during the ceremony, formally beginning a chancellorship expected to help position the University of Guyana at the center of the country’s expanding educational and research landscape.
In his remarks, Dr. Wilson described Sir Ronald’s career—spanning diplomacy, academia, and public service—as a model of the principled leadership that universities seek to inspire in future generations.
“Sir Ronald’s life’s work is a masterclass in principled leadership,” Wilson said, pointing to his longstanding advocacy for small states, his role in multilateral diplomacy, and his commitment to ethical governance and intellectual engagement.
Wilson also used the occasion to highlight the broader role universities play in shaping societies, emphasizing that higher education must cultivate not only professional expertise but also civic responsibility and service.
“Universities exist to cultivate critical thinking, moral responsibility, and service beyond self,” he said, noting that institutions across the Caribbean share a responsibility to collaborate in advancing research, innovation, and regional development.
The ceremony drew representatives from several Caribbean academic institutions, including the University of the West Indies, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, St. George’s University, the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), and T.A. Marryshow Community College, reflecting a growing emphasis on regional cooperation in higher education.
On behalf of USC, Dr. Wilson extended congratulations to the new Chancellor and expressed optimism that Sir Ronald’s leadership would further strengthen collaboration among Caribbean universities working toward shared educational and development goals.
“Universities across our region are united in a common mission,” Wilson said. “Together, we educate, innovate, and uplift the Caribbean.”
Watch the installation ceremony:
https://youtu.be/hj6pmcrcUvM
