UNU Rector Marwala on 25 Years of UNU-CRIS

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of UNU-CRIS, the Rector of United Nations University, Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, reflects on the institute’s evolution into a leading centre for research on regional integration and multi-level governance. 

Describing its founding as a “bold and forward-thinking step,” he highlights UNU-CRIS’s role in addressing today’s global challenges, from rising protectionism to the need for regional resilience. 

“Today, this work is more important than ever.” 

Rector Marwala acknowledges the vital support of the Government of Flanders and long-standing academic partnerships with Ghent University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and previously with the College of Europe. 

As UNU-CRIS looks ahead, it stands as a “beacon for dialogue and understanding” in a world of shifting multilateral dynamics, committed to shaping a more inclusive and cooperative global order. 

Watch the full speech here: