The new Chancellor of the University of Guyana is Professor John Edward Greene, former UN Special Envoy and CARICOM Deputy Secretary General.
Chancellor (elect) Greene is expected to be installed in a simple ceremony during this year’s Convocation exercise at 10am on Saturday, November 16, 2019.
Greene was born in Guyana and attended Queen’s College.
He is currently CEO, Global Frontier Development and Advisory Services (GOFAD) a Think Tank, is a former UN SecretaryGeneral Special Envoy for HIV in the Caribbean 2012-2017.
He was previously Assistant Secretary General, Human and Social Development, at the
Caribbean Community Secretariat (2000-2010) and Senior Adviser, Public Policy, Health and Human Development, PAHO/WHO (1995-1999).
His distinguished academic career at UWI included: service as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Development and Alumni Relations; University Director, Institute of Social and Economic Relations (ISER); Interim Director, Consortium Graduate School for the Social Sciences in
the Caribbean (1984-1986); and appointments to the rank of Professor (1988), and Inaugural Professorial Fellow, ISER (1994). He has authored 10 books and over 60 articles in refereed journals and is Professor Emeritus of UWI.
He holds a B.Sc. in Economics (University of London), MSc Political Economy (Mc Master University), and Ph.D. (University of British Columbia) and held visiting Professorships at
UCLA, University of Havana, and University of British Columbia.
Professor Greene has played pioneering roles in: (a) establishing the Consortium of Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences in the Caribbean, an innovative multidisciplinary enterprise linking the Universities of the West Indies, Guyana and Suriname (1985); (b) expanding Alumni Relations and leading successful fund raising campaigns at UWI (1989-1994); (c) expanding research collaboration and international partnerships with Universities and Development Agencies in North America , Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America (1985-1994). He is also credited with leadership roles in the establishment of major
regional initiatives such as (a) developing the blue print for the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP), designated an international best practice by the UN in 2004; (b) the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Medical and other Health Professionals 2004; (c) the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), 2013; the Every Caribbean Woman Every Child Programme being championed by the Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network (SCLAN) (2017); and the PANCAP Justice For All Programme engaging regional parliamentarians, faith leaders, representatives of the private sector, youth, civil society and key Populations (2013-2019).
Professor Greene was Adviser in social policy development to many Caribbean governments and served on many prestigious Boards. These include: Director to the Canadian International Institute for Peace and Security, and Consultant to several international agencies including the World Bank, IDB, The European Union, UNDP, UNESCO. He was a member of Member of the Commonwealth Secretariat High Level Panel for South-South Cooperation in Higher Education, and the UNAIDS/ Lancet Commission on Defeating AIDS- Achieving Sustainable Health. He was also Chair of the CARICOM Steering Committee for
Climate Change and Sustainable Development. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including national honors Golden Arrow of Achievement from Guyana and the second highest honor, the Yellow Star from Suriname.
He also received the prestigious PAHO/WHO Award for Administration in Public
Health (2011); the Sir Phillip Sherlock Award from the University of the West Indies and University of Technology, Jamaica for outstanding contribution to Health and Development (2012); the Institute of Caribbean Studies, Caribbean American Heritage Award for Public Service (2016); and the Honorary Doctor of Laws from UWI for outstanding academic and public service (2017).
