OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
University of Belize, University Drive P.O. Box 340
Belmopan, Belize
822-3680, ext. 236
www.ub.edu.bz
Press Release
February 9, 2017
UB Selects Regional Luminary in Higher Education to Lead the
National University
Professor Clement K. Sankat, former Pro Vice-Chancellor
and Campus Principal of The University of the West
Indies (UWI), St Augustine Campus, Trinidad has been
selected to become the seventh President of the
University of Belize (UB). Once officially appointed,
Professor Sankat will succeed Mr. Alan Slusher, who has
held the post since June 2014. This announcement was
made by Mr. Harrison Pilgrim, Chairman of UB's Board
of Trustees. It comes after the Board, acting in accordance
with the UB Act of 2000, undertook a wide and
comprehensive search, employing a transparent, albeit
robust
selection
process
for
the
President.
Prof. Sankat, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago received
his early education at Queen's College in Georgetown,
Guyana, his birth place. He is a Chartered/Professional
Engineer (CEng) by training with degrees in Mechanical Engineering from The UWI and
a PhD from the University of Guelph in Canada. He has had a long and distinguished
career at The University of the West Indies as a scholar and administrative leader.
Professor Sankat was promoted to full Professorship in 1998, and served in many
positions - Head of Dept. (Mechanical Engineering), Deputy and Dean (Faculty of
Engineering), Campus Coordinator and Pro Vice–Chancellor (PVC) Graduate Studies
UWI, and from 2008-2016 as PVC and Principal of the UWI's St. Augustine Campus.
Under his leadership, the St. Augustine Campus became the largest within the Regional
University system with approximately 19,000 students, new Faculties and academic Staff
and new facilities including the South Campus being built in Southern Trinidad. The
Campus also received Institutional Accreditation for the first time in 2010 under his
stewardship.
Prof. Sankat's teaching experience is in the areas of Engineering Graphics, Design and
the Management of Innovation. His research expertise is in Engineering applications for
Food and Agriculture: post-harvest technology and the utilization, processing and
preservation of tropical agricultural commodities especially through refrigeration, drying
and dehydration. He has published regionally and internationally in books and journals in
the noted area and his work has been applied to the regional industry.
Prof. Sankat is a Fellow of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (UK), of the
Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago and of the Canadian
Society for Biological Engineering. He has served on many Public and Private Sector
Boards in Trinidad and Tobago and he has built strong partnerships between the
University and the Private Sector and with several International agencies for University
advancement. Prof. Sankat has received numerous accolades for his service including the
UWI's Vice Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research, University and Public
Service, the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) from Guyana and an Honorary Doctoral
Degree from the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Canada.
Prof. Sankat brings to UB and Belize his guiding watchwords as a University Leader building Relevance, Responsiveness and Reach through capacity and quality
development. He believes that the role of the University “must be, as a first priority, to
provide much larger numbers of Belizean students from across the country an opportunity
for a quality tertiary education, thereby nurturing future leaders for various professions as
well as developing thinkers and providing a launchpad for creative and talented
entrepreneurs.” He believes that this cadre of youthful nation builders will propel the
country’s social and economic prosperity and ensure its sustainable development. “There
can be no greater joy and ambition for me than to witness the University of Belize and its
graduates, through their intellectual capital and service, contributing meaningfully to all
facets of the Belizean society” (Professor Clement K. Sankat) .
Harrison Pilgrim had this to say about the impending change in leadership at the
University of Belize. “Change is the bedrock of innovation and success. The UB Board of
Trustees is committed to the establishment of an informed, experienced and functional
team of leaders to propel its administration, creating a climate of academic integrity, staff
loyalty and universal confidence in the quality of its educational delivery. Prof. Sankat,
in my opinion, possesses the knowledge, experience and people skills, not to mention a
passion for achievement that should bring out the best from the staffing and student talent
within the University. We expect that he will ‘hit the ground running’ and not stop until
UB becomes the shining emerald of education within the Jewel we call Belize”.
The University of Belize (UB)…Education Empowers A Nation!