'Cross-cultural leadership' goal of expanded academy in Jordan

'Cross-cultural leadership' goal of expanded academy in Jordan

With global issues demanding global solutions, United Nations University (UNU) has officially opened a greatly expanded UNU International Leadership Institute (UNU-ILI) designed to foster leadership with a global, intercultural outlook.

UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel said that this unique institution does not bestow typical academic degrees on offer at 16,500 other universities worldwide. The courses available to mid-career professionals through UNU-ILI will help develop "intercultural leadership" and leaders who can help identify global solutions to issues of common concern to all humanity.

Queen Noor listens to a presentation during the UNU-ILI
inauguration ceremony, flanked by UNU Rector Hans van Ginkel
(right) and Jordanian Education Minster Khaled Toukan.

Queen Noor of Jordan inaugurated the institute's new building and said: "The escalation of extremism [in the Middle East] and the debate over emerging democracies all point to the need for visionary and transformative leadership.

"With its strategic location in Jordan, which has been a model of diversity, tolerance and stability over so many years, the UNU-ILI is in a unique position to provide innovative programmes on leadership development."

Queen Noor said the new building was an enormous asset to the UNU-ILI management and operation, providing flexible facilities for local and international activities.

Earlier, the institute hosted a symposium on leadership, democracy and reconciliation where Prof. van Ginkel presented a paper on the organisation's contributions as a think-tank for the UN. He was followed by senior Vice Rector Ramesh Thakur, who discussed reforming the UN to promote peace and development.

Former prime minister Abdul Salam Majali, the founder of the institute, gave a detailed explanation of his vision of leadership training, which seeks to bring young prospective leaders to Jordan for interactive training. Majali's vision includes a 16-week training programme where "trainees would spend 10 weeks travelling to different world countries to meet with leaders from all walks of life and meet again in Jordan." The programme will be implemented later this year.

Ami Saikal, from Australian National University, discussed prospects for democracy in the Middle East, while Helena Cobban, a columnist in the Christian Science Monitor, tackled conflict, wars and prospects of peace in the Middle East.

Queen Noor officially launched UNU-ILI in October 1995 at UN headquarters in New York. In recent years, the institute has hosted more than 500 mid-career professionals from over 100 countries in regional and global leadership education.