UN guest speaker to attend university event

Nikhil Seth, United Nations assistant secretary-general and executive director of UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), will visit the University of Wolverhampton on Monday

A member of the United Nations (UN) is to speak at a university, which is celebrating the 50th year of a development and training centre.

Nikhil Seth, the UN's assistant secretary-general and executive director of UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research), will provide the keynote speech for the University of Wolverhampton's centre for international development and training (CIDT).

The centre, the university says, has worked with 140 countries to deliver projects that develop and strengthen basic skills communities need to survive.

The event will be held at the centre on Monday at 14:00 BST.

CIDT is a specialist in providing "capacity strengthening services" for international development agencies through projects that offer "practical solutions to complex global issues", said the university.

The university will welcome Mr Seth during the public event based at its City Campus.

Prof Prashant Pillai, pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge exchange at the university, said: "The fact that we have such a high-profile guest speaker visiting us from the United Nations shows the impact that our research has made on the international arena over the past 50 years.

"Our reach in this area has covered multiple global challenges and we have worked with a range of agencies, offering research-informed solutions, consultancy as well as training and professional development."