Chancellor of the University of Guyana Announces Progress in Search for New Vice-Chancellor

The Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Sir Ronald Sanders, has announced that considerable progress has been made in the search for a suitable candidate for the post of Vice-Chancellor.

Advertisements for the position attracted twenty-seven applications from Guyana, the wider Caribbean, Canada, and India. After an initial review, the Search Committee reduced the number of applicants to fifteen candidates for further consideration. The Committee then sought the assistance of professors and other university specialists of considerable stature in the United Kingdom to help assess the academic credentials of the candidates and to support the preparation of a final shortlist of five.

The five shortlisted candidates will now move to the next stage of the process, which will include interviews and public lectures before a final decision is made.

The Chancellor emphasised that the post of Vice-Chancellor is of critical importance to the future of the University and to Guyana’s national development. He noted that the University must produce graduates with the skills, competencies, and adaptability required to serve a changing and growing economy, while also strengthening research, innovation, and professional training.

The Chancellor further noted that the contract of the present Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed, comes to an end on 31 July 2026. He expressed appreciation for her service to the University.

Sir Ronald also announced that, between 31 July and the assumption of office of the new Vice-Chancellor, the University will be managed by a three-person team drawn from the University’s staff. He said that this interim arrangement will ensure continuity in the administration of the University while the final phase of the selection process is completed.

The Chancellor reaffirmed the University Council’s commitment to a fair, transparent, and merit-based process and said that the public will be kept informed as the search proceeds.