GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The Council of the University of Guyana has elected veteran Caribbean diplomat and scholar Sir Ronald Sanders as the institution’s new chancellor, in keeping with provisions of the University of Guyana Act.
Section 9 of the Act stipulates that the chancellor is elected by the university’s council. The position became vacant following the completion of the tenure of Professor John Edward Greene, who was credited with years of dedicated service and contributions to the university’s development and academic standing.
Sir Ronald Sanders, a widely respected academic and international statesman, brings decades of experience in diplomacy, scholarship and public service to the ceremonial but influential post. His selection comes as the university seeks to strengthen its academic profile and expand its global engagement amid Guyana’s rapid economic and social transformation.
Sanders is a former visiting fellow at the University of Oxford and holds a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Sussex. He has received several honorary degrees, including a Doctor of Letters from the University of the West Indies and a Doctor of Laws from the University of Guyana. His academic career has also included appointments as senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and senior fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto.
He has played a prominent role in international education and policy circles, serving as rapporteur of a special committee appointed by the vice-chancellor of the University of London on the future of the Commonwealth Institute, and as an elected member of UNESCO’s Executive Board.
In diplomacy, Sanders is among the Caribbean’s most accomplished representatives. He currently serves as Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the United States and the Organization of American States, and has held an unprecedented three terms as president of the OAS Permanent Council. He is widely known for his scholarship on small states and sustained engagement with global policy institutions.
University officials and government representatives have said his experience and international standing are expected to enhance the University of Guyana’s academic stature and global visibility, particularly as the country increases investment in education and human capital development.
The government welcomed Sanders’ election, describing his appointment as timely and aligned with the university’s role in supporting Guyana’s emerging knowledge-based economy.