UG’s Institute for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Graduate 23 Students From First Business Encounter Training
Programme
 
The University of Guyana’s Institute for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
(UGIRIE) on Saturday, June 27, 2021, hosted a graduation ceremony for twenty
three (23) students who participated in a twelve week Business Encounter Training
programme which served to equip them with the skills and competencies needed to
design and establish businesses that are innovative and highly competitive.     
 
During the virtual ceremony which was aired via Zoom, several of the participants
were awarded for their innovative and cutting-edge business projects, some of which
have now become household names in Guyana and will penetrate regional markets in
the coming months. Those receiving awards included: Ms. Finella Martin-Lee,
Messrs Michael Lewis, Nawaz Haniff, Ms. Ashli Marks, Ronaldo Venture School of Entrepreneurship & Business Innovation, Mr. David Forde, Faculty of Engineering &
Technology, Ms. Farzana Baksh, School of Pharmacy, and Mr Raeburn Jones,
Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry/ Entrepreneur, Mocha-Arcadia Multi-Purpose
Cooperative.
 
University of Guyana, Vice-Chancellor, XI, Prof Paloma Mohamed Martin, in her
remarks noted that the University’s Blueprint 2040 is coming alive with the
implementation of the UG’s Institute for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
(UGIRIE) programme. She cited two areas - Innovation and Entrepreneurship –
which are specific to Goals 2 and 4 of UG’s Blueprint 2040 and observed that the
URIRIE Business Encounter Training programme is a small step but a very
important one in the journey towards UG realising the aspirational goals of the
University’s Blueprint.
 
The VC highlighted that UG is totally focused on creating ‘Citizen Success’. “With this
initiative, it becomes more than just technical competence for our graduates, it
becomes a matter of modelling for them what success, good behaviour, good values,
etiquette in class and online etiquette look like. Since 60% of learning happens
through observation so it becomes important for facilitators and mentors to help
model for and guide our young people,” Prof Martin expounded.
 
UGIRIE’s Founding Director and former Dean of UG’s Faculty of Agriculture and
Forestry, Prof. Pat Francis recalled that when the project first started it was unsure
where the resources would have come from to ensure its sustainability. However, she
expressed that at UG, there is a vision to support and develop young entrepreneurs
as this is what is needed in Guyana, hence all efforts were made to ensure that the
project received the financial backing from various partners the greatest of which
were the partners of the Greater Guyana Initiative.
 
Prof. Francis further noted that the research being done as well as the courses and
workshops being offered by the UGIRIE will be streamlined as electives and will
eventually find their way into the curriculum of the university following due
academic process. She added: “Our students are bright; they have what it takes to be
innovators. Give the young people a chance so that Guyana can move from businesses being buying and selling to a people who are innovating and bringing in
foreign exchange into the country.”
 
“Our students must be exposed to other countries and facilities that will stimulate
their ideas, so as to bridge the gap that exists…If as a nation we are going to meet the
needs of the next century, we must ensure that graduates do not leave UG looking for
jobs but rather to have them graduate as innovators creating jobs. That is, they must
put their talent, mental, and physical energies to work for Guyana,” Prof. Francis
urged.  
 
The UGIRIE project is a beneficiary of the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), which is
funded by the Stabroek Block co-venturers ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC. The
$20-billion-dollar commitment, is geared at building human capacity and supporting
sustainable and diversified economic growth across Guyana. The University of
Guyana is one of 5 major partners in the initiative and has since benefitted
tremendously in several areas of academic and institutional advancement.
 
Mr. Matthew Scharf, Senior Public & Government Affairs Advisor at ExxonMobil
Guyana noted that the company has continuously supported various initiatives from
the University of Guyana since 2015 as they contribute to national development.  
 
Camex Restaurants Inc., Executive Director, Dr. Terrence Campbell in his remarks
acknowledged that the University of Guyana has a pivotal role to play in Guyana’s
development, so consequently, the efforts by UGIRIE to share and transfer business
skills with young entrepreneurs from different backgrounds are both critical and
timely.

International Business Consultant and Entrepreneurship Development Specialist,
Ms. Yvonne Mattis, gave a detailed overview of the Business Encounter
initiative. Ms. Mattis also served as the UGIRIE Workshop Programme Consultant.
 
University of Guyana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Dean (Designate), Dr Paulette
Henry, who has led the development of national professional standards for social
work practice in Guyana distributed the certificates to the participants.
The UGIRIE was birthed in 2019 by Prof. Patsy Francis, Director and former Dean of
UG’s  Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The initiative focuses on upscaling UG’s
award-winning, student and staff innovation concepts which facilitates the expansion
of business opportunities. Programmes and courses offer practical approaches for
establishing, accelerating and scaling up UGs research and innovations to
businesses. UGIRIE focuses on concepts that are grounded in good science and
technology.
 
University of Guyana, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Institutional Advancement,
Dr. Mellissa Ifill eloquently moderated the simple but significant ceremony. 

UG IN BRIEF

The University of Guyana is the 58th year state University of Guyana. It offers 136
programmes in over 60 disciplines online and face-to-face in 8 campuses across
Guyana. With a student population of now 10,000, UG has provided education,
learning and research for over 50,000 alumni. The mission of the University is to
discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the
service of the community, the nation and of all mankind within an atmosphere of
academic freedom that allows for free and critical inquiry. UG’s forward thinking
Blueprint 2040 is currently setting the course for the University’s future design and
institutional response to the changing needs of Guyana.

Contact:
Ms. Krest Cummings
Public Relations Officer
Department of Events Conferences and Communications (DECC)
592-623-5104