Vice President Wu Jiang Elected as the Board Chair of GUPES

On Nov. 18-19, 2010, Global University Partnership on Environment on Sustainability (GUPES) has been newly founded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarter in Nairobi, Kenya. Mr. Irahim Thiaw, Director of the Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) of UNEP delivered the address in the opening ceremony.

Mr. Mahesh Pradhan, Director of Environmental Education and Training, Division of Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) of UNEP, Prof. WANG Zhijia, Special Coordinator of Division of Regional Co-operation of UNEP, and over 60 professors from Africa, Europe, North and South America, representing more than 90 universities, attended the conference.

At the conference, the Board Representatives in each region were selected, and Prof. Wu Jiang, Vice President of Tongji University, Dean of UNEP-Tongji IESD, was elected as the Board Chair of GUPES.

GUPES, as a key mean of implementation of UNEP Medium-term Strategy 2010 -2013, will further reinforce the innovative education on sustainable development, green campus construction, and response to climate change; and strengthen the cooperation of faculty training and students exchange among the universities.