The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) has conferred the title of Professor Emeritus upon Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Professor Prakash Persad.
Professor Persad, who spent eighteen years at UTT, has had a career spanning over four decades in academia, research, and national service.
Acting President of UTT, Professor Rean Maharaj, said Professor Persad’s many years of service and excellence earned him this latest honour.
“A true educator, Professor Persad’s greatest legacy may very well be the people he guided. He has supervised more than 20 doctoral and master’s students, overseen dozens of MSc, and hundreds of undergraduate prospects, and mentored a generation now serving in academia and industry.”
Also speaking at the ceremony on Wednesday, Minister Persad said in addition to its research and academic pursuits, the University of Trinidad and Tobago needs to live up to its intended mandate.
“To serve as a catalyst for economic diversification, and if economic diversification was ever needed, it is never more so than now. Therefore, to UTT staff, I say to you, you have an urgent and critical mandate to use your expertise and academic resources to leverage national development in the various areas. I do count on your support in this regard.”
Minister Persad said during his academic term he tried to pass along the lessons he learnt.
“Mentoring is an essential, integral part of academic life. The inaugural President and Provost of UTT stress this aspect and, indeed, I consider myself very privileged to have been tutored by them. They were extraordinary gentlemen. I have tried my best to inculcate and institutionalise this ethos which forms the basis of succession planning.”