Professor Colin Gyles appointed president of UCC

Professor Colin Gyles has been appointed the new president of the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), the largest private non-affiliated higher educational institution in Jamaica with over 7,000 students locally. He assumed the role effective April 8.Dr. Winston I. Adams, JP, group executive chairman of the UCC and SPECTRUM Groups of Companies, commended Gyles’ appointment noting, “the UCC is indeed pleased to welcome Professor Colin Gyles who is an accomplished award-winning academic leader with over 30 years’ experience in higher education and leadership. He holds a PhD in chemistry with a multidisciplinary focus and has been a full professor of applied sciences since 2013. Since 2015 he has served with distinction as deputy president of the University of Technology, Jamaica, and twice as acting president at that institution for approximately five years”.

Dr. Adams said Professor Gyles spearheaded the creation of UTech’s Faculty of Science and Sport in 2009, serving as its first dean. Under his leadership, the School of Natural and Applied Sciences, the School of Mathematics and Statistics, the Caribbean School of Sport Sciences, the Centre for Science-based Research, Entrepreneurship and Continuing Studies, and the Integrated Optics and Photonics Research Laboratory were established.

Responding to the announcement of his appointment, Professor Gyles said, “I am thankful to the UCC board of directors for the confidence placed in me to lead the institution at this juncture and stand committed to carrying out its mission of preparing local, regional and global students to become exceptional leaders, innovators, and scholars in a caring and intellectually stimulating academic environment.”

Dr. David Panton, chairman of the UCC board of directors, shared that “Professor Gyles’ career in the higher education sector has provided him extensive experience in planning and managing multi-million-dollar higher education projects, which will be of tremendous benefit to the UCC, now celebrating 20 years of service to Jamaica in higher education.

In this regard, he will play a leading role in the strategic growth and development of the institution, forming and maintaining critical partnerships and alliances regionally and internationally for the benefit of our students, alumni, faculty, staff and other key stakeholders”.

Professor Gyles, who will be the fourth president of the fast-growing UCC, globally, received the national honour of Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD) for contribution to the field of academia, and is the 2017 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation for Service to Education.

An active researcher, Professor Gyles has numerous scholarly research publications, journal articles, conference proceedings, reports, and other scholarly work in leading international peer reviewed scientific journals and has been a featured speaker at many local and international conferences. He currently serves as a director of the HEART/NSTA Trust, council member of the University Council of Jamaica, and member of the National Quality Policy Council. Former appointments include commissioner of the Jamaica Education Transformation Commission, chairman of the board of Charlemont High School, member of the National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST) and commissioner of the Overseas Examination Commission.