Egyptian Nemat “Minouche” Shafik has been named the upcoming 20th President of Columbia University, effective 1 July, 2023. This will mark the first time a woman has led the institution. Shafik, 60, has served as president of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) since 2017, and her appointment at Columbia makes her the newest among a growing number of women leading reputable American research institutions. Her work at LSE included overseeing vast improvements to the student experience, recruiting academic thought leaders, and managing notable infrastructure expansion projects. Jonathan Lavine, chair of the Columbia Board of Trustees, described Shafik as “the perfect candidate: a brilliant and able global leader, a community builder, and a preeminent economist who understands the academy and the world beyond it.” In a similar vein, both the current serving president of Columbia, Lee C. Bollinger, and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, expressed confidence in Shafik’s competences and mastery. “[Shafik] has combined enormous intellect with interpersonal skills that were very impressive, navigating complex bureaucracies,” described Stiglitz. These bureaucracies, according to Stiglitz, “consist of very intelligent people and require dealing with them with respect, listening to them,…
Columbia University Names Nemat “Minouche” Shafik as 20th President
January 20, 2023
