UCC chancellor says real leadership needed at this time
Published:Tuesday | July 22, 2025 | 12:10 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
Professor John MacIntyre, chancellor of the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), says real leadership is needed throughout society at this time.
MacIntyre, whose appointment was announced by the UCC in February this year, was installed as the university’s second chancellor at its commencement ceremony on Sunday by Dr Winston Adams, executive chairman of UCC Group.
Scores of students graduated after completing their courses across several fields.
MacIntyre used his reply to his installation to speak about the world of opportunities and challenges that await these new leaders of tomorrow.
“That world is changing before our eyes; the old world order that for so long helped to bring prosperity and peace is being challenged,” MacIntyre stated.
“Democracy is under threat in ways we thought impossible only a few years ago; and truth itself is no longer sacred, with alternative facts being offered and misinformation being spread through social media. At times like this, real leadership is needed throughout society.”
MacIntyre said great leaders have many qualities, but that integrity and honesty are the most important.
“Leadership is not only about managing change, but also about courage and generosity. The best leaders lead on behalf of their people rather than for themselves; they know the way forward because they have a moral compass to guide them. We need your leadership to guide us to a better future,” he told the UCC graduates.
At the ceremony, Dr Peter Phillips, Dr Nigel Clarke, and M. Audrey Stewart-Hinchcliffe were conferred honorary doctorates for transformational contributions to national development.
MacIntyre, who greeted the audience with the Jamaican slang “Wha gwaan?”, assumes the chancellor post with an impressive list of achievements.
The renowned academic leader and innovation strategist has a career that spans over three decades at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI), engineering and higher education.
During his tenure as pro-vice-chancellor for employability and partnership at the University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom, “he applied initiatives that strengthened the industry, global reach, collaboration, and markedly improved employability outcomes for the graduates”, Owen Ferguson read in his profile.
MacIntyre’s research has appeared in leading conferences and journals, and he has supervised and mentored doctoral candidates across diverse disciplines, including computing and engineering.
Outside of academia, he has shared his expertise to shape policies across both public and private sectors, and his work has been recognised with commendations for excellence international academic collaboration and curriculum development, underscoring his commitment to transformative education.
The UCC was established in 2004 with the merger of the Institute of Management Sciences and the Institute of Management and Production. The university has five physical campuses in Kingston, Mandeville, May Pen, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, and an online platform.