The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) today announced that Dr. Eustache Placide, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, has been awarded Principal Fellowship (PFHEA) by Advance HE, the highest category under the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education. The honour recognises sustained, strategic leadership across the institution and the wider sector.
“This recognition is about impact at scale: better courses, stronger support for colleagues, and clearer pathways for students. We are investing in world-class standards so more Caymanians finish their studies work-ready and ready to serve the islands we call home.”
UCCI’s Acting President and CEO, Dr. Livingston Smith, welcomed the news. “Principal Fellowship is a clear international benchmark of academic leadership. We are proud to have a growing community of Advance HE–recognised educators at UCCI, including Tamsin Deasey-Weinstein, Tracy Hargrave, and Antoinette Gayle. Dr. Placide’s PFHEA reinforces quality across programmes and signals to students, families, and employers that UCCI is investing in world-class standards.”
Advance HE is a UK-based professional body that champions teaching excellence, leadership, and equality in higher education. Its Fellowships, Associate, Fellow, Senior Fellow, and Principal Fellow, are awarded through rigorous peer review against the Professional Standards Framework (PSF). Principal Fellows evidence institution-wide influence over time, including systematic enhancement of teaching and learning and demonstrable impact on student attainment and progression.
Today’s recognition links global standards directly to local outcomes. It validates UCCI’s work to professionalise teaching, modernise assessment, and support staff development, while ensuring students gain the skills, confidence, and adaptability demanded by Cayman’s economy. It complements ongoing efforts to strengthen data-informed decision-making, widen access and progression, and expand industry partnerships so curricula and work-integrated learning keep pace with change.
