Professor Louise Fawcett, Co-Director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Changing Global Orders, has been appointed to the governing Council of the United Nations University (UNU), the academic arm of the United Nations.

Professor Fawcett is Professor of International Relations and Wilfrid Knapp Fellow and Tutor in Politics at St. Catherine’s College, University of Oxford, and a specialist in regionalism, diplomacy, and international governance. She previously served as Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations at Oxford. Her research focuses on comparative regional integration and the international relations of developing countries, particularly in the Middle East. She is the editor or author of several influential works, including Iran and the Cold War and The International Relations of the Middle East, now in its fifth edition.

Appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in consultation with the Director-General of UNESCO, Professor Fawcett is one of six new members joining the UNU Council. Their six-year terms began on 4 May 2025. Together with continuing members, the Council will guide the strategic direction of UNU.

The Oxford Martin School congratulates Professor Fawcett on this prestigious appointment and her continuing leadership at the intersection of academic research and international policy.