UWI Lands Half of Caribbean Selections in Inaugural Global Digital Infrastructure Fellowship

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, W.I. Monday, June 22, 2026—About three dozen affiliates from The University of the West Indies (The UWI)—including students, faculty, staff, and alumni—have been selected for the highly competitive inaugural Resilient Global Digital Infrastructure (GDI) Fellowship.

The recruitment for the inaugural cohort is now complete, and notably, about half of the Caribbean fellows are connected to UWI. Chosen from hundreds of applicants across the Caribbean, the UWI-affiliated group includes 16 current members of the University community—10 undergraduate students, three postgraduate students, and three faculty and staff members—along with four alumni.

The fellowship, organised by the SubOptic Foundation in partnership with industry leaders and researchers from the Global Digital Infrastructure program at the University of California, Berkeley, aims to bring together participants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds—including engineering, policy, law, economics, media, and the social sciences—to explore the design, governance, and resilience of global digital infrastructure systems. The initiative places particular emphasis on strengthening capacity in regions that are critical to the future of global connectivity, such as the Caribbean.

“Digital infrastructure is foundational to the future of our region. It underpins teaching and learning, research, innovation, governance, resilience, and economic development,” said Ms Sandrea Maynard, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs, at The UWI. “UWI’s strong representation in this fellowship reflects both the quality of our people and the importance of investing in the systems and skills that will shape the Caribbean’s digital future.”

She added that the outcome reflects the university’s strategic commitment to ensuring that Caribbean expertise and perspectives are actively shaping global conversations on digital infrastructure, digital sovereignty, and sustainable development.

Following direct engagement with prospective fellows across the region, Iago Bojczuk, Research Associate at UC Berkeley, noted the strength of the Caribbean cohort, saying, “The enthusiasm and knowledge that the Fellows have brought to the programme so far speak to the immense potential that exists across the Caribbean region. Their diverse backgrounds and commitment to meaningful connectivity demonstrate what is possible when emerging leaders are empowered to shape the future of global digital infrastructure. Their engagement highlights that resilience must be grounded in equity and sustainability—central pillars of our Global Digital Infrastructure Certificate.”

The SubOptic Foundation and UC Berkeley GDI team will continue to support fellows through a structured programme of learning, collaboration, and applied research, aimed at strengthening resilient, inclusive, and future-ready digital infrastructure systems across the Caribbean and beyond.

The UWI congratulates all selected fellows and looks forward to continued collaboration with global partners to advance regional leadership in digital infrastructure and innovation.