The former principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Johannesburg carries the title of UN Under-Secretary-General in his role at the Tokyo-based UNU, a position with extensive overseas travel, the university announced.
Marwala succeeds Dr David M. Malone of Canada, who served as UNU rector from 1 March 2013 to 28 Feb. 2023.Before going to UNU and prior to leading the University of Johannesburg, Marwala taught at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand. UNU works with leading universities and research institutes, bridging the international academic community and the UN system.
"I am delighted to be succeeded by such a distinguished university leader and inspiring scholar," the outgoing rector, Malone, said of his successor. UNU was established in 1975 as a global research and training organisation with institutes and programmes in 12 countries.As a UN system think tank, it links with other UN system entities and leading research institutions.The Charter of UNU stipulates that its research is devoted to"the pressing global problems of human survival, development, and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations".