President William Ruto has appointed Professor Patrick Verkooijen as the Chancellor of the University of Nairobi (UoN).
According to the Gazette Notice published on Friday, the new Chancellor will serve for five years with effect from January 12, 2024.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 38 (1) (a) of the Universities Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint — PATRICK V. VERKOOIJEN (PROF.) to be the Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, for a period of five (5) years, with effect from January 12, 2024," Ruto directed.
Professor Verkooijen succeeded Dr Vijoo Rattansi who served as UoN Chancellor for 10 years.
Before the appointment, the professor served as the Chair of the university's Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies.
Verkooijen is the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) - an international organisation that is dedicated to providing solutions to curbing global climate effects.
"Together with African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, he is the architect of the world’s largest adaptation program, the Ksh3.9 trillion Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, which has already shaped over Ksh957 billion of resilient investments on the world’s most climate-vulnerable continent since its inception in 2021," read part of Verkooijen's profile on the GCA's website.
Throughout his career, Verkooijen has worked with heads of state and government from Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.
He has also organised over half a dozen Summits of world leaders aimed at elevating the cause of climate adaptation.
Before GCA, the professor served as the World Bank Group's special representative on Climate Change.
Verkooijen was also the professor of Practice of Sustainable Development Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States.
Owing to his achievements, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by UoN in 2012- recognising his efforts in championing climate resilience in Africa.
The Dutch national holds a PhD from Wageningen University, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Havard a Master in Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam, and an environmental degree from the University of Utrecht Applied Sciences.
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