A brief history of the University of Guyana

The University of Guyana was established in April 1963 and began its operations in October of the same year with a batch of 164 students in temporary premises loaned from Queen’s College in Georgetown.

Programmes were at first confined to the Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. However, in 1967, a Faculty of Education was established and this was followed by the establishment of the Faculties of Technology in 1969, Agriculture in 1977, and in 1981, the Faculty of Health Sciences, prior to the establishment of which programmes in Health Sciences were offered within the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

A Forestry Unit was established in 1987. In 2002, the Faculty of Agriculture was renamed the Faculty of Agriculture & Forestry. In 2003, the Faculties of Arts and Education merged to become the School of Education and Humanities.

At its inception, only general degree programmes were offered by the University, but from 1966, Certificate and Diploma level programmes were introduced. The first graduate programme – A Master’s Degree in Guyanese and West Indian History was started in 1973.

This was followed by Master’s programmes in Biology and Education in 1976, Chemistry and Economics in 1977, Political Science in 1978, and Geography in 1984. A Graduate Diploma in Development Studies was also introduced in 1984.

From 1975, the University began accrediting programmes run by sister institutions in the Commonwealth Caribbean. A Training Programme for Medical Practitioners was launched in October 1985.

Turkeyen Campus

The University occupied its present site at Turkeyen in October 1969.

The Booker Group of Companies provided 1450 acres of land for a campus at Turkeyen. The soil was turned by Prime Minister L.F.S. Burnham on May 24, 1966.

Construction work began Jan. 2, 1968, and the first building was declared open on February 24, 1970.

The tuition fee of $100 per annum was abolished in 1974. However, in the 1994-95 academic year the University introduced a Cost Recovery Programme. Students are currently required to pay.

In 1975, participation in National Service was made a requirement for persons wishing to pursue programmes at the University; however, in 1994 approval was given by the Cabinet for the abolition of mandatory National Service for students at tertiary level education institutions.

In the 1993-94 academic year the Semester System was introduced in the Faculties of Education and Social Sciences. This system was introduced to the remaining Faculties in 1994/95.

The New Building Society provided funding for the construction of a 40-room Student Halls of Residence. This building was opened on May 27, 1994 and houses students from the outlying areas of Guyana.

A second Halls of Residence was constructed on campus by the Beharry Group of Companies to house 44 students while a third, the Dennis Irving Halls of Residence, was built by the University at Goedverwagting, to accommodate an additional 46 students.

Over recent years, a number of new programmes have been introduced, including Masters Degrees in Administration, Bachelor degrees in Pharmacy, Optometry and Dentistry. The University also certifies affiliated programmes.

In 2005 the meritorious position of Distinguished Professor was instituted. Professor Clive Thomas is the sole holder of this distinction.

In 2009 the first Emeritus Professors were installed.

Berbice Campus

One of the university’s most recent and significant undertakings was the formation of the Berbice campus. This relatively new campus, which became operational in 2000, was established with the intention of making university education more accessible to Berbicians, who previously endured the inconvenience of travelling to the Turkeyen Campus to pursue university studies.

In its early stages, the University of Guyana – Berbice Campus (UGBC) offered two-year undergraduate Certificate programme in Education (various options) and Diploma programmes in Accountancy, English, History, Marketing, Public Management and Social Work.

Degree programmes were subsequently offered: the Degree in Agriculture and the Associate Degree in General Science (various options) were offered in the 2001 – 2002 academic year, and Degree in Public Management and Education, as well as the Post-Graduate Diploma in Education were offered in the 2002-2003 academic year.

The first graduation ceremony was held Nov. 2002 with a batch of ninety-three students. (Source: uog.edu.gy)