President Ruto Appoints Dutch Professor Patrick Verkooijen as UoN Chancellor
President William Ruto has appointed Professor Patrick Verkooijen as the Chancellor of the University of Nairobi (UoN), as announced in the Gazette Notice released on Friday. The appointment, effective from January 12, 2024, spans a five-year term.
Through the authority vested in him by section 38 (1) (a) of the Universities Act, President Ruto, in a directive, appointed Patrick V. Verkooijen (Prof.) to the position of Chancellor. This significant role, overseeing the University of Nairobi, is to be held for a duration of five years, commencing on January 12, 2024.
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Prior to this appointment, Professor Verkooijen held the position of Chair at the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies within the university.
Professor Verkooijen, renowned as the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), has played a pivotal role on the international stage in addressing climate change challenges.
His profile on the GCA’s website highlights his collaboration with African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in architecting the Ksh3.9 trillion Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program.
This groundbreaking program has already influenced resilient investments exceeding Ksh957 billion on the climate-vulnerable African continent since its inception in 2021.
Throughout his illustrious career, Professor Verkooijen has engaged with heads of state and government across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States. He has organized numerous Summits of world leaders dedicated to advancing the cause of climate adaptation.
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Before assuming his role at GCA, Professor Verkooijen served as the World Bank Group’s special representative on Climate Change. Additionally, he held the position of Professor of Practice of Sustainable Development Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to championing climate resilience in Africa, the University of Nairobi bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate in 2012.
A Dutch national, Professor Verkooijen earned his PhD from Wageningen University, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard, a Master in Philosophy from the University of Amsterdam, and an environmental degree from the University of Utrecht Applied Sciences.
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President Ruto Appoints Dutch Professor Patrick Verkooijen as UoN Chancellor
