About

About

The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a global higher education and research network of 24 universities across 6 continents.

WUN strategic plan
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About WUN

The most talented researchers and educators are ever more dispersed globally. Capitalizing on this, WUN brings together major universities that sit in widely diverse geographical and cultural contexts, forming a partnership that brings an unparalleled richness of talent and resources to bear on major research problems.

The purpose of WUN is to strengthen member universities, and their impact and prominence, by:

Fostering distinctive international research collaborations directed at problems of global significance.
Nurturing research talent, particularly of early career researchers.
Promoting the development of global citizens through targeted programs for undergraduates.
Informing institutional policy and practice through analysis and information exchange.
Building partnerships with relevant national and international bodies.
Communicating WUN’s strengths and achievements to ensure visibility and impact.

Through its Research Development Fund, WUN supports collaborative research that addresses our overarching theme of sustainable development, including in the following areas:

Social justice, human rights, inequality
Sustainable world: cities and urbanisation, energy transitions, water and food security
Mental health, child and maternal health, ageing
Responsible and ethical use of computing: artificial intelligence, information security, privacy

The network provides special support for our early career researchers through the Research Development Fund and actives such as webinars that promote transferable skills needed for a successful research career.
WUN also invests in education. At graduate level, a Research Mobility Program provides opportunities for early-career researchers, including postgraduate and postdoctoral students, to broaden their professional networks and gain specialized experience in an international context. At undergraduate level, WUN promotes initiatives that bring students from multiple partner universities together for shared research experience, such as the WUN Summer School.

Governance

Professor Bill Flanagan

Chair

Professor Peter Lennie

Executive Director

Partnership Board

The Partnership Board, comprised of the Presidents, Vice-Chancellors or Rectors of the member universities, is WUN’s governing body. The Partnership Board establishes the mission of the network, and sets its strategic direction and priorities. The Board appoints the WUN secretariat
and standing committees, and through them mobilizes WUN’s programs and initiatives.

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Professor
Dawn Freshwater

Vice-Chancellor

The University of Auckland

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Professor
Evelyn Welch

Vice-Chancellor

University of Bristol

24052024-Professor Mosa Moshabela has accepted an offer to become the university’s 11th vice-chancellor.Photo:Lerato Maduna

Professor
Mosa Moshabela

Vice-Chancellor

University of Cape Town

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Professor 
Dennis Lo

Vice-Chancellor

The Chinese University
of Hong Kong

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Professor 
Lisa Roberts

President & Vice Chancellor

University of Exeter

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Steering Group

Professor Nana Aba Amfo

Vice-Chancellor

University of Ghana

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Professor Carolyn Evans

Vice-Chancellor & President

Griffith University

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Steering Group

Professor Frédéric Herman

Rector

University of Lausanne

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Steering Group

Professor Shearer West

Vice-Chancellor & President

University of Leeds

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Professor Dr Rianne Letschert

President

Maastricht University

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Professor Piyamitr Sritara

President

Mahidol University

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Professor Barnabas Nawangwe

Vice-Chancellor

Makerere University

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Vice-Chair

Professor Sandra Almeida

Rector

Universidade Federal
de Minas Gerais

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Dr David Garza

Rector

Tecnológico de Monterrey

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Professor Meng-Ru Shen

President

National Cheng Kung University

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Professor Francis Petersen

Vice-Chancellor

University of Pretoria

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Professor Lin Shangli

President

Renmin University of China

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Professor Sarah Mangelsdorf

President

University of Rochester

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Steering Group

Professor Dr Martin Paul

Rector

Ruhr University Bochum

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Steering Group

Professor Koen Lamberts

Vice-Chancellor

The University of Sheffield

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Steering Group

Professor Andrew Parfitt

Vice-Chancellor & President

University of Technology Sydney

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Professor Dr Kyosuke Nagata

President

University of Tsukuba

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Professor Charlie Jeffery

Vice-Chancellor & President

University of York

Academic Advisory Group

The Academic Advisory Group is responsible for overseeing the academic portfolio of the network and advising the Partnership Board on strategic direction. It is
made up senior university officials, usually at the level of Vice-President or Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for the research or internationalisation
priorities of the member universities. It is the task of this group to draw the threads from individual member universities together to nurture a potent research
agenda tackling issues of global importance.

Chair:  Professor Mai-Har Sham, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Members

Dr Aminah Robinson Fayek

Vice-President (Research and Innovation), University of Alberta


Professor Frank Bloomfield
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), The University of Auckland


Professor Michele Acuto

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement), University of Bristol

Professor Jeff Murugan

Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Internationalisation,
University of Cape Town

Professor Richard Follett
Vice President (Global Engagement), University of Exeter

Professor Felix Ankomah Asante

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana

Professor Sarah Todd

Vice President (Global), Griffith University


Professor Estelle Doudet

Vice-Rector for Research, University of Lausanne


Professor Nick Plant

Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of Leeds


Professor Dr Gaby Odekerken – Schröder

Vice-Dean Internationalisation and Collaboration, Maastricht University

Professor Nopraenue Sajjarax Dhirathiti
Vice President for Global Partnerships and University Council, Mahidol University


Professor Mukadasi Buyinza
Academic Registrar, Acting First Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Makerere University

Professor Aziz Saliba
Dean of International Affairs, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais


Professor Neil Hernández-Gress
Director of Research, Tecnológico de Monterrey


Professor Woei-Jer Chuang

Executive Vice President, National Cheng Kung University

Professor BT (Sunil) Maharaj

Vice Principal: Research, Innovation and PG Education, University of Pretoria

TBA 

Renmin University of China

Dr Jane Gatewood,

Associate Provost for Global Engagement, University of Rochester

Professor Dr Günther Meschke

Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer, Ruhr University Bochum


Professor Robert Mokaya

Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, The University of Sheffield

Professor Iain Watt

Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (International), University of Technology Sydney

Professor Yasuteru Shigeta

Vice-President and Executive Director for Research, University of Tsukuba

Professor Matthias Ruth

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of York

Each WUN member university appoints an administrator to manage the implementation of WUN programs on campus and to serve as the main contact point for network initiatives. This group shares information on collaborative opportunities and develops WUN’s research programs. Your local WUN Coordinator should be your first point of contact for information on WUN. Contact details for your WUN Coordinator can be found below and on the WUN member pages.

Chair:  Dr John Bell, University of Alberta

Members

Mr Jonathan Harvey – The University of Auckland
Ms Jo Brooks – University of Bristol
Ms Wilna Venter – University of Cape Town
Ms Shally Fan – The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Mr Peter Clack – University of Exeter
Professor David Dodoo-Arhin – University of Ghana
Ms Isis Kowaliauskas – Griffith University
Dr Denis Dafflon – University of Lausanne
Ms Siddeequah Azmi – University of Leeds
Mr Han Aarts – Maastricht University
Ms Tassanaporn Hongyon – Mahidol University
Professor John Mango Magero – Makerere University
Ms Flavia Souza –  Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
Professor Neil Hernandez – Tecnológico de Monterrey
Ms Ellen Hsueh – National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
Ms June-Rose Ngcobo – University of Pretoria
Ms He Xujiao – Renmin University of China
Mrs Megan Bennett-Spears – University of Rochester
Ms Monika Sprung – Ruhr University Bochum
Ms Danielle Bertrand – The University of Sheffield
Mr Innes Ireland – University of Technology Sydney
Associate Professor Kazuaki Ota – University of Tsukuba
Ms Elisha Witcomb – University of York

WUN is led and managed by the Executive Director and Secretariat team, which is responsible for implementing the network’s strategic plan on behalf of the Partnership Board.  Company secretarial and financial management services are provided by specialists from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, which is the registered office of the WUN Company.


Executive Director:  Professor Peter Lennie
Secretary-General: Dr Mike Hasenmueller
Senior Program Manager: Dr Aoiffe Corcoran
Program Manager: Dr Joy Lin
Administrative and Communications Assistant: Ms Amirah Muhammad
Company Secretary: Ms Helena Smith
Chair:  Professor Bill Flanagan, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Alberta
Vice-Chair: Professor Sandra Almeida, Rector, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

Member

24 Universities . 6 Continents

About

The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a global higher education and research network of 24 universities across 6 continents.

Contact

For more information on WUN, enquiries can be directed to:

Newsletters

  • View our latest Newsletter

  • Subscribe to the WUN Newsletter
  • Subscribe to WUN Events News

© Copyright 2025 Worldwide Universities Network. All rights reserved.

Professor Bill Flanagan

Chair

About

Bill Flanagan became the 14th president and vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta in July 2020. Born and raised in Alberta, he has been recognized for his transformative and entrepreneurial leadership. President Flanagan launched the largest and most ambitious program of academic and administrative restructuring ever undertaken by a Canadian university. With a vision for the University of Alberta for Tomorrow (UAT), he set the goal of turning the university’s acute financial pressures into a strategic transformation, repositioning the U of A for long-term success.

With the creation of a new university-wide operating model, UAT dramatically enhanced the efficiency of administrative services by establishing shared service centres, introducing new technologies and reducing administrative costs by over $100 million annually. The establishment of three new colleges results in a more dynamic, agile and aligned academic structure.

As reflected in the university’s new strategic plan, Shape 2023-2033, the University of Alberta is now poised for ambitious enrolment growth and even greater research impact.

Prior to his appointment at the U of A, President Flanagan served as dean of law from 2005 to 2019 at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. Through his transformative vision during his tenure, he led major initiatives elevating the delivery of education in law: the establishment of the faculty’s PhD program; the founding of the Centre for Law in the Contemporary Workplace; a major expansion of the business law program; an online undergraduate Certificate in Law Program; an online Graduate Diploma in Legal Services Management, and a new online Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law.

Professor Peter Lennie

Executive Director

About

Peter Lennie is the Jay Last Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at University of Rochester.  He has been Executive Director of WUN since August 2018.

Lennie is a neuroscientist whose work has focused principally on early stage mechanisms of vision,  and the encoding and transmission of information from the eye’s retina to the primary visual cortex.  His published work has contributed particularly to our understanding of how information about the color of objects is represented in the brain.

He was born and educated in the UK.  After obtaining his PhD in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge, he held a Harkness Fellowship at Northwestern University in Evanston, followed by a Research Fellowship at King’s College, Cambridge, before becoming Lecturer in  Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex.  In 1982 he moved to University of Rochester to join the Center for Visual Science. During his time in Rochester he became founding chair of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.  From 1998 to 2006 he was at New York University as Professor of Neural Science and Dean for Science.  In 2006 he returned to University of Rochester as Senior Vice President and Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences and Engineering.  From 2012 to 2016 he also served as the university’s Provost. During his time as Provost he drove a major expansion of the university’s international engagement.

His professional service includes appointments on editorial boards of several scientific journals, service on boards of professional societies, and on National Institutes of Health review panels, including from 1985-1988 as chairman of Visual Sciences B Study Section.  He served as chairman of the National Research Council’s Committee on Vision from 1991-95, and on its Board on Behavioral, Cognitive and Sensory Sciences from 1997 to 2004.  He was chairman of the National Research Council Committee on Disability Determination for Individuals with Visual Impairment.  From 1992 to 2002 he held a MERIT award from the National Eye Institute.  He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America.