President William Ruto has appointed Global Center on Adaptation CEO, Prof Patrick V. Verkooijen, as Chancellor of the University of Nairobi for a five-year term.
Prof Verkooijen has served as the chair of the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi since September 23, 2022.
He was appointed to the position by UoN Vice Chancellor, Prof Stephen Kiama.
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.
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.
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.
The Global Center on Adaptation describes itself as an “organisation working as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate-resilient future”.
