THE University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) is a cornerstone for national development.

This is according to Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training (TEST) Professor Prakash Persad.

Persad, along with Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry Hansen Narinesingh met with UTT’s senior management team at the Tamana Campus to engage in high-level discussions on the university’s strategic direction, operational priorities, and evolving research agenda, a media release from the Ministry of Education on Friday stated.

The meeting was led by UTT’s acting President Stephen Joseph and included key members of the university’s executive team, among them Vice President for Research and Academic Studies Rean Maharaj and Vice President with responsibility for Quality Assurance and Institutional Effectiveness Dr Ruby Alleyne.

The session also featured detailed presentations from the university’s finance, legal, security, information technology and quality assurance departments, the ministry stated.

Discussions centred on strengthening UTT’s impact on national development, with emphasis on innovation, sustainability and student success.

Persad reaffirmed the ministry’s support for UTT.

He said, “The university continues to be a cornerstone of national development. Through this collaboration, we aim to cultivate a dynamic tertiary education sector that empowers learners, drives innovation and enhances Trinidad and Tobago’s global competitiveness.”

Following the meeting, Persad and his delegation toured several key facilities on the Tamana Campus, including the administrative offices, the Library and Learning Resource Centre and the Graduation Complex.

Also participating in the visit were Deputy Permanent Secretary Gwyneth Morris-Alexander and senior staff from the ministry’s Research, Planning and Technical Services Division and the Programme and Project Management Unit.