The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus and GraceKennedy Limited (GKL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the UWI/GKL Elite Recruitment Programme—a strategic initiative aimed at retaining top academic talent within Jamaica and the wider Caribbean while strengthening the region’s human capital pipeline.

As the premier institution of higher education in Jamaica, The UWI, Mona is deeply committed to nation-building and regional development. Central to this mission is ensuring that students who achieve the highest levels of academic excellence are provided with opportunities to apply their skills and hone their abilities within leading enterprises locally and across the Caribbean.

The Elite Recruitment Programme is designed to address this by creating a structured recruitment pathway for The UWI’s highest-performing graduates. Under the terms of the MOU, The UWI’s Mona Campus, through the Office of Placements & Career Services, will provide GraceKennedy Limited with referrals of top-performing students, that is, those in the 95th percentile of their graduating class for the purpose of shortlisting and interviewing them for relevant job vacancies and/or internship opportunities across the GraceKennedy Group.

Principal Densil A Williams, in highlighting the mutual benefit noted that, this is a great opportunity for GraceKennedy and for Jamaica as strong talent will be retained locally to advance the competitive position of the company and by extension the Jamaican economy” Professor Williams noted that, in a world where innovation is the key to building and sustaining a competitive advantage, talent management matters.

Williams noted that, at the heart of this strategic partnership is the facilitation of student success.  He noted that, at The UWI Mona we have instituted an institutional design that has at the centre of it a Deputy Principal responsible for student success. “We have also included a set of leaders at the level of Deputy Deans who will operationalise student success,” Williams noted. “We think it is incumbent on us as a university to ensure that we provide our students with all the opportunities that you can help them to fulfil their aspirations as a UWI graduate.”

He noted that both institutions’ core values align and, as such, the partnership with GraceKennedy will allow graduates the best chance of success.    

In his remarks, Group CEO of GraceKennedy Frank James spoke fondly of The UWI (his alma mater), GK’s ongoing partnership with The UWI through the GK Foundation and expounded on this new initiative. “This Memorandum of Understanding represents more than a formal agreement. It is a strategic investment in talent, in education, and in the future of our business, and it builds on a long-standing relationship with UWI that is already delivering results for both institutions. Ultimately, it reflects a shared commitment to our young people, and to shaping a stronger future together,” James said.

Through this partnership, which took effect on August 1, 2025, and will remain in force for a period of three years in the first instance, GraceKennedy gains preferential access to a consistent pipeline of exceptional talent, while The UWI advances its mandate to support graduate employability, talent retention, and national and regional development. The initiative also reflects GraceKennedy’s continued commitment to investing in people and supporting sustainable growth across the Caribbean, where the Group maintains operations in multiple markets.

The UWI/GKL Elite Recruitment Programme serves as a model for collaboration between higher education institutions and the private sector, demonstrating how strategic partnerships can align academic excellence with workforce development and long-term economic impact.