Professor Sir Hilary Beckles has been unanimously appointed as the new Chairman/Chancellor of the United Nations University, effective May 2025.
The appointment was made during the University’s Governance Council meeting in Tokyo, Japan on December 7, 2024.
The Council cited Beckles’ global reputation as a strategic planner in higher education, scholar, and development thinking leader in their decision, as the University approaches its 50th anniversary.
Beckles brings extensive United Nations experience to the role, having served as a Consultant for the UN Development Report on Latin America and the Caribbean, worked on committees for the Global Future of Higher Education, and acted as Vice President and historian for UNESCO’s Slave Routes Project. He also recently co-edited Volume 9 of UNESCO’s General History of Africa series.
His UN engagement includes two addresses to the General Assembly – one supporting the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) and another on Reparatory Justice. He has also addressed the UN Security Council on Global Peace in the digital North-South Divide.
Under Beckles’ leadership, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) was selected as the global hub for UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. This followed his establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice in 2024, which offers online postgraduate programs focusing on SDGs. He previously served as Special Advisor on Sustainable Development to former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
The Chairman/Chancellor position is honorary, focusing on supporting the Rector/Vice-Chancellor’s leadership and guiding the Council to maintain stakeholder confidence.
The United Nations University, headquartered in Tokyo, operates as a global academy with Research and Teaching Institutes across multiple countries, serving as an academic Think Tank for the international community.
Beckles acknowledged the appointment as an honour for The UWI and the Caribbean region, particularly highlighting its significance for emerging communities in the Global South.