ISSUE47: SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2007
network of research and training centres/programmes
New partnership will strengthen UNU presence in Europe
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Andreas Storm, Parliamentary State Secretary with Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research (left), and UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel sign the partnership agreement watched by Janos Bogardi, director of UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn (left) and Matthias Winiger, Rector of the University of Bonn. |
The first United Nations University (UNU) vice rectorate outside Tokyo has been established in Bonn. Professor Janos Bogardi, Director of UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), has been appointed Vice Rector ad interim.
The partnership agreement creating the UNU Vice Rectorate in Europe (UNU-ViE) was signed by Andreas Storm, Parliamentary State Secretary representing the German Ministry of Education and Research, and UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel. UNU-ViE will be located at the UN Campus in Bonn.
In a joint statement, the partners said that the creation of UNU-ViE will contribute to UNU goals of decentralization and strengthening its presence in Europe.
The Vice Rectorate will develop working relationships with other Europe-based organizations, including UN agencies and programmes, international and regional organizations, government bodies, public and private sector organizations and university and research institutions and foundations. primarily located in Europe. UNU signed a partnership agreement with Bonn's Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelm University earlier this year.
The new vice rectorate will focus on Science and Technology to Ensure Human Security – climate change, energy security and environmental degradation – in Europe, Russia, Central Asia and Africa. UNU-ViE will initiate, support and co-ordinate projects that develop intellectual capacity building and knowledge transfer with scientific exchange programmes involving Europe, Africa and Central Asia and other research and training centres in the UNU system.
© 2007 United Nations University