Director Office
Mr. Shahbaz Khan
Shahbaz Khan, Director
Director
s.khan(at)unesco.org
Background - Professor Shahbaz Khan (Australia) holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Civil Engineering (1990) from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); a Master of Science in Water Resources Technology and Management (1992) and a Doctorate in Civil Engineering (1995) from the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom); Graduate Diploma in Applied Geographic Information Science (2001) and a Grad Certificate in Information Technology (2003) from the Charles Stuart University in Wagga Wagga (Australia). In 2005, Shahbaz obtained a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Law from the Macquarie University (Australia) and in 2007 a Master’s Degree in Applied Environmental Economics from the Imperial College London (United Kingdom). Shahbaz is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Hon Fellow of the Myanmar Engineering Society and Fellow of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand. Shahbaz is also a chartered engineer and engineering executive of Engineers Australia and was awarded Federation of Engineering Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP) Engineer of the Year for 2016. Shahbaz is currently Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra, Australia and Distinguished Professor at the National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan.
Shahbaz has worked in Australia, France and Pakistan in various research, consultancy and policy positions. Before joining UNESCO, Shahbaz was Professor and Director (International Centre for Food Security) at the Charles Sturt University, Research Director at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Programme Leader, System Harmonisation for Regional Irrigation Business Partnerships at the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures, Australia. His work has been widely recognised, for example, through receipt of UNESCO Team Award for Managing Hydro Hazards 2009, Land and Water Australia’s Eureka Prize 2007, CSIRO Medal 2007, Biennial Medal of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand, Charles Sturt University’s Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Award 2006, CSIRO Partner or Perish Award 2004, CSIRO Environmental Prize 2005 and CSIRO Land and Water “Exceptional Achievements Award” 2000. He has widely published in the area of water, environment and sustainable development and received several outstanding publications awards.
In 2008, Shahbaz joined UNESCO as Chief of the Water and Sustainable Development Section in the Division of Water Sciences in the Natural Sciences Sector in Paris until 2012 when he was transferred to UNESCO Office in Jakarta as Deputy Director and Senior Programme Specialist. As the Regional Science Coordinator, he was responsible for the development and implementation of the Office’s science strategy, the coordination of the IHP and MAB programmes, project leader for major water, environmental and engineering projects and Chair of the UN Working Group on Climate Change and Environment. From January 2015 to August 2015, Shahbaz was entrusted with the Officer-in-Charge functions of the UNESCO Office in Jakarta. Since 28 August 2015, Shahbaz has been appointed as the Director of the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and UNESCO Representative for Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.
