KINGSTON, Jamaica, Tuesday January 16, 2018 – The University of the West Indies (UWI) has declared January 23, 2018, “W Arthur Lewis Day”, in honour of its first Vice-Chancellor.

As UWI celebrates its 70th anniversary, its Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) will commemorate the work of Sir Arthur, and celebrate 70 years of research contributions to economic policy and process in the Caribbean.

Sir Arthur, a St Lucian-born economist, was a Nobel Prize Laureate (1979) as well as a former President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). His legacy surrounds pioneering research in economic growth and development—particularly involving developing countries.

Although the institute named in his honour was established in August 1999, its origins stem from 1948 when the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) was founded. ISER later merged with the Consortium Graduate School of Social Sciences (CGSSS) in 1985 and was later renamed after Lewis.

W. Arthur Lewis Day will see a series of events hosted across the University’s Cave Hill, Mona and St. Augustine campuses, including forums to discuss the current relevance of Lewis’ work amid the economic challenges facing the region.