The University of London conferred the degree of Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences on Professor Sir Hilary Beckles on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.
The ceremony of conferment was a special event held on Foundation Day to mark the 189th anniversary of the university.
It took place at Senate House, the administrative centre of the university, under the patronage of the Chancellor, Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne.
In presenting Sir Hilary to Her Royal Highness, orator Professor Kingsley Abbott commended him for decades of distinguished scholarship as an historian, expert leadership in the field of higher education, and path breaking and visionary advocacy in social justice on the world stage.
He informed the gathering that Sir Hilary was a child of the ‘Windrush’ migration from the West Indies to the UK, who rose through the high school system mastered the higher education research system, receiving a PhD in Economic History from Hull University at the tender age of 24 years.
From there he has soared to become Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies where he became its youngest professor at the age of 35. He now serves also as the Chancellor of the United Nations University, and Distinguished Chancellor’s Visiting Professor at Cornell University.
In response, Sir Hilary remarked that the honour was a tribute to the University of the West Indies that had begun its journey in 1948 as a College of the University of London which it continues to see as its ancestral home. Sir Hilary further remarked: “At a personal level, the honour is most gratifying because I was here at this distinguished university 39 years ago as a Senior Research Fellow where I had the opportunity to research, write, and publish my first major academic monograph.”
About The University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region.
Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts 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, along with international centres in partnership with universities across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The UWI offers over 1000 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 leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world.
Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE’s prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This recognition has also springboarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISD), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development.
The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
