UNU Rector in Iceland
This week the UNU-FTP had the honor to welcome the UNU rector, Dr. David Malone, to Iceland. This mission provided a valuable chance to discuss the direction and growth of the UNU programmes operating in Iceland. Since 1978, Iceland has hosted various training programs for the UNU, including Geothermal, Fisheries, Land Restoration and Gender Equality programs (UNU-GTP, UNU-FTP, UNU-LRT, UNU-GEST). The operation of these programs are part of Iceland's international development activities and fit under the umbrella of Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr. David Malone joined the United Nations University in 2013 as its sixth Rector. In that role, he holds the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
A Canadian national, Rector Malone holds a BAA from l’École des Hautes Études Commerciales (Montreal); an Arabic Language Diploma from the American University (Cairo); an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; and a DPhil in International Relations from Oxford University.
Prior to joining the United Nations University Dr. David Malone served (2008–2013) as President of Canada’s International Development Research Centre, a funding agency that supports policy-relevant research in the developing world.
In addition to visiting the UNU programmes in Iceland and our partner institutions, Dr. Malone had several high-level meetings, including with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson, and Iceland's president Olafur Ragnar Grimsson as well as former president Vigdis Finnbogadottir. He also had meetings with the heads of our primary partner institutes in Iceland, and had the chance to meet several UNU fellows and scholarship recipients.