Prof. Marwala will take office as Rector of the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ on 1 March 2023 for a five-year term, succeeding current Rector Dr David Malone (2013-2023). In the role of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Rector, Prof. Marwala will hold the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. He will be based at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Headquarters in Tokyo.
The official was made by United Nations Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres in New York on 25 July. As stipulated by the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Charter, the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Rector is selected and appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in consultation with, and with the concurrence of, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, chosen from a panel of candidates nominated by the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Council.
The Secretary-General said of the appointment: "I look forward to working with Tshilidzi Marwala, drawing on his expertise, and benefiting from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ's thought leadership as we work towards fulfilling Our Common Agenda while building on the successful work of his predecessor, David Malone, under whom ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ evolved into the UN's policy-focused think tank, trusted by UN agencies, Member States, and many others."
Since 2018, Prof. Marwala has served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg (South Africa), a university of more than 50,000 students and nearly 6,000 academic and support staff. His previous positions with the University of Johannesburg included Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Internationalization (2013-2017) and Executive Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment (2009-2013).
Prof. Marwala previously had served as Associate Professor and then full Professor at the University of Witwatersrand (South Africa; 2003-2008); as Executive Assistant to the Technical Director, South African Breweries (2001-2003); and as Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Imperial College (UK; 2000-2001).
Prof. Marwala is the author of more than 20 books ¨D most recently, Leadership Lessons from Books I Read (2021) and Closing the Gap: The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Africa (2020) ¨D as well as dozens of book chapters, journal papers, and conference papers. He has also published more than 200 magazine articles and newspaper op-eds, primarily on topics of artificial intelligence, big data, and the fourth industrial revolution.
Prof. Marwala holds a PhD degree in Engineering from the University of Cambridge (UK), as well as a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and Bachelor of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University (USA).
On behalf of the governing Council of the ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ, Council Chair Prof. 'Funmi Olonisakin said of the appointment: "I wish Prof. Marwala a warm welcome and look forward to working with him in realizing the important mission of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ as a convenor and in bringing the research and policy communities in the Global South and North closer together."
The ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ, with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, was established in 1975 as a global research and teaching organization; ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ currently has institutes in 12 countries worldwide. The overarching goal of the University is to contribute to global sustainable development that will enable both present and future generations to live a decent life in peace, freedom, safety, and good health.
In carrying out its work, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ focuses on research, teaching, and capacity building, and provides science-based advisory services as a United Nations system think tank. ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ maintains close cooperative relationships with other United Nations system organizations (agencies, programmes, commissions, funds, and convention secretariats) and works in both formal and informal partnerships with leading universities, research institutions, and public sector organizations all over the world.
Welcoming his successor, ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Rector David Malone said: "I am delighted to be succeeded by a very distinguished academic leader from the Global South, and will ensure an orderly and productive transition that will serve ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ's mission, research, and excellent team and, of course, my designated successor as he prepares to join ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ on March 1, 2023."
For a complete profile of ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Rector-designate Tshilidzi Marwala or media enquiries, please access this page.
