Ramesh Thakur

Distinguished Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation

Ramesh Thakur is a political scientist and peace researcher. He was appointed by United Nations University Rector Hans van Ginkel to the position of Vice-Rector on 1 April 1998, and was promoted to Senior Vice-Rector at the Assistant Secretary-General level in October 2003. Professor Thakur is a member of the UNU's senior academic staff and works as part of the University's Peace and Governance Programme. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Calcutta, he emigrated to Canada where he earned his Ph.D. in political studies at Queen's University. Professor Thakur moved to New Zealand in 1980, where he joined the University of Otago as a Lecturer in the Department of Political Studies. In recognition of his research achievements, he was appointed to Associate Professor and then Professor. In 1992, the University granted him a Personal Chair in International Relations. In 1995, he was appointed to Head of the Peace Research Centre at the Australian National University.