HRH The Duchess of Sussex learnt about the work of Liverpool Hope University’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies, at a meeting of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).
Director of the Centre Dr Catalina Montoya Londoño attended the event on behalf of the University and had the opportunity to speak with the Duchess, who is a patron of the ACU.
Dr Londoño said: “I had the chance to share the work of the Tutu Centre, as well as my own research on public diplomacy and peacebuilding, with the Duchess and other researchers from across the Commonwealth.”
The event featured an interactive workshop that showcased how the ACU is “building a better world through higher education”. It was the Duchess’ first official visit as a patron, and she joined ACU staff, students and academics for a series of discussion groups around gender equity, access and inclusion, and sustainability.
With a network of more than 500 institutions in more than 50 countries, the ACU is the membership organisation for universities in the Commonwealth. HM The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, was Patron of the ACU for 33 years, before HRH The Duchess of Sussex was named the new Patron in January 2019.