CCRIF invests USD 112K to Build Caribbean Climate and Disaster Resilience Expertise
Originally published by Caribbean News Global Read the original
GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – CCRIF SPC has awarded 10 new scholarships valued at USD 112,000 to Caribbean nationals for the 2026/27 academic year. The scholarships, nine at The University of the West Indies (UWI) and one at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, will support studies in climate science, meteorology, natural resource management, geoinformatics, geology, and engineering disciplines, which are central to strengthening disaster risk management and climate resilience across the region.
Since 2010, CCRIF has provided more than 200 scholarships totalling over USD 2.2 million to Caribbean students for study at universities in the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and the United States. With this year’s nine awards to students at The UWI, CCRIF has now awarded 178 postgraduate and undergraduate scholarships to Caribbean nationals at The University of the West Indies alone, valued at USD1.3 million.
CCRIF has awarded five postgraduate scholarships, each valued at up to USD11,000, for master’s-level study at The UWI’s Cave Hill and St Augustine campuses, a total investment of USD 55,000.
Four students entering their second year of bachelor’s programmes at The UWI aligned with CCRIF’s mandate will each receive a scholarship of US$8,000 – US$4,000 for Year 2 and USD 4,000 for Year 3, valued at a total of USD 32,000. This will support their studies in Geomatics Engineering, Disaster Risk Resilience and Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Geology, and Civil Engineering at the Mona and St Augustine campuses.
Under its Memorandum of Understanding with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), CCRIF has also awarded a USD 25,000 scholarship to Akeem Dawes of Jamaica to pursue a Master of Science in Applied Meteorology and Climate with Management at the University of Reading. On completion of his studies, Dawes will return to CIMH for a minimum of three years, directly strengthening the region’s meteorological and climate services capacity. The CCRIF/CIMH partnership is aimed at building a cadre of climate science professionals to serve the Caribbean.
This year’s awardees come from Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.
“Every scholarship we award is an investment in the region’s ability to understand, prepare for and recover from natural hazards and climate change. These young people will become the scientists, engineers and natural resource managers whose expertise our member countries will depend on in the years ahead”, said Isaac Anthony, chief executive officer of CCRIF SPC. “We are proud to continue our long-standing partnerships with The UWI and CIMH, and we look forward to seeing this new cohort contribute to a more resilient Caribbean.”
The scholarship programme is delivered through CCRIF’s Technical Assistance Programme and forms part of the organisation’s broader commitment as a development insurer to building capacity in disaster risk management, disaster risk financing, climate change and sustainable development. Scholarship funds are paid directly to the universities to cover tuition and related fees, with any remaining balance provided to students as a stipend.
