University of Johannesburg’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, has been appointed as the seventh Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo, Japan

Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg, has been named the seventh Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo, Japan.

The choice was made after discussions with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, stated that she has no doubt that he will raise the UNU to greater heights, making South Africa and the African continent proud.

As the incoming rector of the United Nations University, I wish Professor Marwala success.

I have complete faith that under his direction, the institution will work even harder to address the urgent global issues affecting human survival, development, and welfare, which are of concern to the United Nations, its peoples, and Member States, through joint research and education.

A global think tank and institution for postgraduate education with its headquarters in Japan is the UNU.

The UNU’s objective is to support efforts to address the urgent global issues of human survival, development, and welfare that are of importance to the UN, its peoples, and the Member States through cooperative research and teaching.

Marwala will take over for Canadian professor David M. Malone, who has held the position since 2013.

He has held this position since 2013, when he served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalization.

From 2009 to 2013, he also held the position of Executive Dean for the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment.

The professor visited Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge, Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, and Nanjing Tech University between 2003 and 2008.

The University of Cambridge awarded him a doctorate with a focus on artificial intelligence and engineering; the University of Pretoria awarded him a master’s degree in mechanical engineering; and Case Western Reserve University awarded him a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (magna cum laude).

He is a member of the South African Academy of Engineering, the African Academy of Sciences, the World Academy of Sciences, and the Academy of Science of South Africa. He is also a registered professional engineer.

Marwala is a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery as well as a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mike Teke, the chair of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) Council, also sent Marwala warm wishes.

Teke congratulated Marwala on his selection, saying: “On behalf of UJ, we are proud of Prof Marwala for taking the helm of leadership as the first African to fill the position.

A university is built on the numerous parts that work together to make it function, and we have the proper employees and processes in place to make sure that this transition is smooth.

We are happy that one of our own has gained such an honour, and we congratulate Prof. Marwala on this remarkable accomplishment.