Caption: Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Education (third from left) is joined by Samanta Saugh, President, Guardian Life of The Caribbean (second from right); Professor Mike Sharples, Emeritus Professor of Educational Technology, The Open University, UK (extreme right); Dr. Brian Cockburn, Acting Deputy Principal, The University of West Indies, St. Augustine (second from left); awardees, and other officials of the UWI and Guardian Life of The Caribbean.  

Guardian Life of The Caribbean (GLOC) is the proud sponsor of the University of The West Indies' (UWI) Premium Teaching Awards 2024. The event, which recognises excellence in tertiary level teaching, learning and research was held at the Learning Resource Centre, at the St Augustine Campus of the University of The West Indies on Thursday 26th September, 2024.

Samanta Saugh, President, Guardian Life of The Caribbean, delivered remarks at the event issuing a reminder that learning is about more than acquiring information. In speaking to this year’s theme—The Artificial Intelligence Education Era, Ms. Saugh said that integrity, curiosity, and creativity must remain at the heart of education while embracing AI’s potential rewards.

“Today we celebrate the excellence of our educators and their adaptability to change with our dynamic and evolving world. We are truly operating in uncharted territory with the advancement of AI and the opportunity it brings to revolutionize how we live, work, and learn. AI holds immense promise, but it also comes with challenges. It is critical that we approach its integration with optimism, ethical care and responsibility,” she said.

This year’s recipients of the UWI/Guardian Life of The Caribbean Premium Teaching Awards were Dr. Yomica Powder-George, Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Technology; Dr. Letetia Addison, Senior Fellow and experienced Mathematics and Statistics Educator; and Dr. Freddy James, Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, Faculty of Humanities and Education.

Emeritus Professor of Educational Technology at The Open University, United Kingdom, Mike Sharples delivered the feature address, "Empowering Educators, Enriching Learners: The AI Education Era."  

This sponsorship is aligned to Guardian Group’s commitment to supporting academic development, leadership and innovation. Guardian Life of The Caribbean, a member of Guardian Group, is pleased to support excellence in student-centered learning and teaching.