The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, in collaboration with the VM Group, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated launch of, ‘The UWI Mona VM Group Distinguished Lecture Series’. The series aims to provide a platform, through thought-leadership, for insightful discussions, intellectual discourse, and the exchange of ideas to nurture change on local, regional and global scales.

The event will take place on September 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. at the Faculty of Law, Lecture Theatre 2, The University of the West Indies Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica and will also be streamed live at www.youtube.com/uwimonamedia.

Professor Antonio Andreoni, from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, a distinguished development economist with an impressive track record of scholarly work will deliver the inaugural lecture.

Professor Andreoni's lecture, titled " Escaping the Middle Income Technology Trap: drivers, dynamics, and industrial policies," promises to be an enlightening and thought-provoking event that will appeal to academics, policymakers, students, and the wider community.
Professor Antonio Andreoni's wealth of knowledge and expertise has earned him a place in academic circles as a leading voice in the study of global development challenges. He is known for his pioneering research in areas such as international finance, innovation, industrial policy, and the economics of climate change. His work has contributed to advancing our understanding of these critical issues and has informed policies and strategies aimed at creating a more equitable and sustainable world.

"The subject matter to be interrogated by Prof. Andreoni is quite timely as Jamaica is now poised to move beyond stability in the macro-economy and look towards long-term sustainable growth for its population. We are pleased to have him deliver thought-leadership on this very important topic at the inaugural staging of our lecture series” noted Campus Principal, Prof. Densil A. Williams. 

The UWI Mona VM Group Distinguished Lecture is made possible through the generous support of the VM Group. VM Group Limited is a global financial institution with offices in Jamaica, the wider Caribbean, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The event is free and is open to the public and can be accessed via live streaming at: www.youtube.com/uwimonamedia
Individuals interested in attending the event in person at the faculty of Law are encouraged to register at: https://tinyurl.com/UWI-VMDL as there will be limited seating at the Faculty of Law.

For more information about Professor Antonio Andreoni, please visit: https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/antonio-andreoni

About The VM Group
VM Group Limited is a global financial institution with offices in Jamaica, the wider Caribbean, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is the mutual holding company of VM Financial Group Limited and VM Innovations Limited. This iconic 145-year-old Jamaican enterprise offers a transformational suite of products and services covering: Savings and Deposits • Loans • Foreign Exchange Trading • Wealth Management and Investment Services • General Insurance • Real Estate and Property Services • Remittance Services • Pension Fund Investment Management and Administration • Pension Consultancy.

Learn more at myvmgroup.com

About The University of the West Indies
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based University to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu