UWI Mona launches BECOME campaign to boost student enrolment

The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, has launched a new recruitment campaign aimed at increasing undergraduate and postgraduate enrolment by at least five per cent, as it seeks to strengthen its appeal to prospective students amid changing demands in higher education and the workplace.

Dubbed BECOME, the campaign was unveiled on Tuesday, in the Multipurpose Room at the Main Library. It forms part of a broader effort to improve student recruitment, streamline admissions and strengthen support for applicants from the initial application stage through to enrolment and retention.

The launch comes as the university restructures its admissions and student support operations, bringing key functions together under the Student Enrolment and Retention Office (SERO).

Senior Assistant Registrar Dr Marsha Morgan-Allen, who heads SERO, outlined plans to streamline core functions and improve the university’s engagement with students throughout the recruitment and admissions process.

Odain Murray, assistant registrar with responsibility for recruitment and conversion, is spearheading the BECOME campaign. He said the initiative seeks to address concerns about the value of a university degree, the cost of tertiary education and the changing demands of the labour market, particularly as generative artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace.

“A degree still has value, and a large number of our graduates are finding jobs after graduation, some even before they complete their degrees,” Murray said.

Murray pointed to international research suggesting that university education can deliver long-term earnings benefits, while acknowledging that outcomes vary across countries and labour markets.

He said BECOME would demonstrate the value of a UWI Mona education by highlighting the career opportunities, personal development and broader university experiences available to students.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Beyond academic qualifications, the campaign will encourage prospective students to consider how university life can help them develop professional skills, build confidence and independence, and prepare them to contribute meaningfully to their communities and society.

The digital campaign is supported by a wider recruitment strategy designed to make the application process more accessible and help prospective students navigate the transition into university.

Among the planned initiatives are school-based UWI Zones, which will provide printed and digital information, assist students with applications during school visits and offer extended contact hours for recruitment-related queries.

A dedicated recruitment landing page and cost calculator are also intended to give prospective students easier access to programme information and help them assess the full cost of pursuing their studies.

The university’s immediate target is to increase conversion to enrolment by at least five per cent, with particular emphasis on helping applicants complete the necessary steps to become registered students.

The campaign launch attracted representatives from key education and student-support organisations, including the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information; the Jamaica Association of Guidance Counsellors in Education; the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica; the Students’ Loan Bureau; the National Secondary Students’ Council; the Jamaica Prefects’ Association; and the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities.

Deans, heads of departments, other university staff, and members of the Guild of Students also attended the launch.

Through BECOME, UWI Mona is seeking to strengthen its connection with prospective students at home and abroad while positioning the university experience as an investment in career prospects, personal growth and future opportunities.