¡¥World citizen¡¦ Kamalesh Sharma installed as new Chancellor of Queen¡¦s

Added: (Fri Dec 18 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - ¡¥World citizen¡¦ Kamalesh Sharma installed as new Chancellor of Queen¡¦s

New Delhi, December 11, 2009: International statesman His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, was installed as the ninth Chancellor of Queen¡¦s University.

Described by Queen¡¦s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Gregson as ¡§a role model and an inspiration¡¨, Kamalesh Sharma is a distinguished career diplomat who has served at ambassadorial level in five missions ¡V including as Indian High Commissioner in London.

Now Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, he works with 54 sovereign states on a global agenda which includes the promotion of peace, democracy and human rights, tolerance, respect and understanding, the rule of law, global access to health and education and the elimination of poverty.
The Vice-Chancellor, who delivered the citation at the ceremony, said, ¡§Kamalesh Sharma¡¦s eminent career demonstrates an unflinching dedication to building a better world through partnership and co-operation. One of the defining characteristics of his service as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth is his commitment to young people. I know he will be an inspiration to our students. I know too that he will be an inspiration to the wider University family and to our community.¡¨
He also added, ¡§As India¡¦s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, he made a series of visits to Northern Ireland, promoting business and trade between the region and the Indian sub-continent. His appointment will help us to establish deeper and richer international relationships which will bring real benefits to Northern Ireland. His exceptional career provides a perfect platform for his new role as Chancellor of Queen¡¦s ¡V the University¡¦s ambassador to the world.¡¨

In response, Mr Sharma said: "I am enormously proud to be invited to serve Queen¡¦s University and look forward to contributing towards strengthening its international influence.¡¨

¡§Queen¡¦s has an international academic reputation and its research has made a dramatic impact on the world. We are operating in a competitive, worldwide higher education environment. The stronger a University¡¦s international connections, the greater the contribution it makes to the economic and social development of the community it serves. Northern Ireland should be justifiably proud of Queen¡¦s University Belfast.¡¨

¡§Queen¡¦s has high ambitions and I endorse these fully. I am enthused by its aspiration to become a global Top 100 university within the next five years. I believe it has the commitment, the resources and above all the talent to do that, and I look forward to contributing in whatever I can to help it achieve this aim.¡¨

Kamalesh Sharma succeeds former Chancellor Senator George Mitchell as Chancellor. Senator Mitchell stepped down in March following his appointment to head up the United States¡¦ peacemaking efforts in the Middle East.

Queen¡¦s new Chancellor was educated at Modern School and St Stephen's College, New Delhi, and at King's College, Cambridge University, where he read Literature. He is a Fellow at Harvard University and a Governor of the Ditchley Foundation which promotes


international learning. He was formerly a Director of the International Peace Academy in New York. In 2001 he was recognised for his outstanding services to internationalism through the award of the Foreign Policy Association of the United States Medal.

He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1965. From 2002 to 2004, he was the first Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to East Timor, with the rank of Under Secretary-General. In this role, he worked to strengthen internal security and public administration, including justice, financial administration, policing and protection of human rights.

From 2004 to 2008, he was India¡¦s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, where he was closely involved in Commonwealth activities. He is committed to the empowerment of young people, the advancement of women's rights, the challenge of poverty eradication and economic growth. He and his wife Babli have two grown up children. His interests include literature, cosmology, jazz, Indian and Western classical music and cricket. He has edited two books on global affairs and poetry.

Queen¡¦s 2009 India Initiatives-:

Delhi

„« Launch of INTO-Queen¡¦s College, an International Student College in India: A new international student college has been launched today in New Delhi and will offer Indian students the opportunity to study at a leading UK university. A joint venture between Queen's University Belfast and INTO University Partnerships, the new INTO-Queen¡¦s College will deliver an outstanding and authentic student experience for those Indian students hoping to complete academic preparation in the UK. INTO-Queen¡¦s College includes a range of Diploma and Graduate Diploma courses that will be of interest to Indian students who wish to study at a leading UK university. A Foundation programme provides access to a wide range of undergraduate courses at Queen¡¦s University, a member of the Russell Group of the leading UK Universities. The students will have the added benefit of having already settled into life at Queen¡¦s before beginning degree studies. A Graduate Diploma Programme, which, upon successful completion, guarantees a place on a number of specialist postgraduate courses offered by Queen¡¦s University Management School. The Management School was also instrumental in securing for Queen¡¦s the Times Higher Education Award as the 2009 UK Entrepreneurial University of the Year. The main intake of students will occur every January and September. Further information on the new College can be found at www.into.uk.com/qub.

Kolkata

„« Opening of Queen¡¦s 1st India Office: After an year of officially opening of the Eastern India Water Research Institute (EIWRI), for the development of technology which will provide arsenic-free drinking water for over 70 million people in South East Asia, Queen¡¦s & its partners Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) have announced the opening of a Queen¡¦s University Belfast office situated at BESU. The opening of the Queen¡¦s office in Kolkata gives the go-ahead to a further three year programme of collaborative research, allowing this essential work to be fast-tracked.

„« Launch of QUISP: The Queen¡¦s India Schools Partnership (QUISP) was also launched. Under this programme small clusters of schools in India will develop partnerships with Queen¡¦s and its partner schools in Northern Ireland. Benefits to Indian schools will include the delivery of a lecture programme on issues of global concern. Visiting lecturers from Queen¡¦s will meet staff, students and parents to discuss technological and curriculum developments. Other benefits will include the provision of support materials relating to study at degree level in the UK. There will be an annual visit by at least one member of staff from each partner school to Queen¡¦s and its partner schools in Northern Ireland. Students from the partner schools in India will also be eligible for a Queen¡¦s scholarship equivalent to 15% of the tuition fee.

Hyderabad

„« Partnership with University of Hyderabad: Queen¡¦s University announced a major partnership with the University of Hyderabad, which has the potential to deliver significant educational and economic benefits for both India and Northern Ireland. The agreement sees the extension of the ¡¥Queen¡¦s India Welcome Scheme¡¦, which provides an opportunity for leading Indian students to attend a unique training programme in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Queen¡¦s University Belfast. There is also a commitment to develop similar collaboration in Science and Engineering. Other aspects of the partnership will grant student and staff exchanges in the areas of English, Creative Writing, Geography, Politics and Translation Studies; allowing them the opportunity to experience life studying and working in each others countries.

Bangalore

„« Bringing aerospace expertise to India: Professor Peter Gregson, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen¡¦s University Belfast addressed an invited audience of eminent scientists at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore sharing how his research contributed to the development of Airbus A380. He also set out the major technological challenges facing the aerospace industry today if European environmental targets are to be achieved. Drawing on his recent experiences with Rolls Royce and Airbus, he highlighted how new designs have led to environmentally friendly engines and how aerodynamic optimisation and advanced materials have contributed to a dramatically enhanced environmental performance of today¡¦s latest airlines.