PRESS RELEASE

The UWI Five Islands Campus, Antigua and Barbuda, Monday September 7, 2026. – The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC) and the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing a partnership aimed at strengthening legal education and professional development opportunities for students.

The signing ceremony which took place at The UWI Five Islands Campus was attended by Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor C. Justin Robinson; Ms. Jenna Dicocco, Assistant Lecturer in the School of Humanities & Education; Ms. Luann De Costa, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association; and Mr. George Looby.

Professor Robinson noted that this MOU signing was timely with the launch of the LLB programme at Five Islands and the response by applicants from Antigua and Barbuda and the wider OECS. “We’re not just trying to give people access to a law degree; we want our students building research and advocacy on the legal issues that matter here, in our own jurisdiction,” Robinson said.

President of the the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association Luann De Costa echoed that commitment to active collaboration between the association and the university. “We’re here to be a real partner in this, not just observers,” she said. “That means helping shape the curriculum, mentoring students, and standing with them as they work toward establishing a student law society and a law journal.”

Under the agreement, the university and the Bar Association will collaborate in five key areas. The Bar Association will help identify experienced attorneys to mentor UWI FIC law students through a new student mentorship program, while both parties will organize workshops to educate employees on legal matters of benefit and interest.

The Bar Association will also help promote internship opportunities for law students within member law firms and organizations, supporting their career development. In addition, the university will host Continuing Legal Education (CLE) sessions delivered by the Bar Association, with practitioners invited to speak on campus, and both parties will facilitate joint networking events connecting students with the broader legal community and practitioners.

The UWI FIC says the partnership reflects a shared commitment to preparing law students for practice within Commonwealth Caribbean‘s legal system while fostering closer ties between the campus and the local legal profession.