Veteran broadcaster Zeinab Badawi is new President of world-famous SOAS

Zeinab Badawi, one of the most known faces in broadcast journalism, has taken over from Graça Machel, the widow of Nelson Mandela as President of the School of Oriental and African Studies  University of London  – popularly known as SOAS. 

The award-winning broadcaster and journalist is herself an alumna of the 105 years old, SOAS, one of the oldest learning institutions in England. Some of its notable alumni include Samia Nkrumah, Ghanaian politician and daughter of the country’s first president Kwame Nkrumah; Luisa Diogo, former prime minister of Mozambique, and The late Ghanian President John Atta Mills.

Zeinab currently hosts Global Questions on BBC World TV and the BBC News Channel. The popular programme invites audiences from around the world to question their leaders on global issues. She also presents and interviews some of the world’s most notable personalities and politicians on BBC Hardtalk.

She is also the founder of Kush Communications, a production company, which creates thought-provoking programmes and films including the groundbreaking 20-part series ‘The History of Africa with Zeinab Badawi’.

“This is a really significant time to be starting this journey as the new President of SOAS. It comes at a time when SOAS is increasingly asserting itself with great confidence… I look forward tremendously, to working with the academic community, staff, the student body, alumni, supporters, partners and friends of SOAS,” she said in a statement announcing her immediate appointment.

Zeinab recently completed her tenure as Chair of the Royal African Society. Her other roles  (among many), include serving on the  Board of Historic Royal Palaces; a founding and current trustee of the charitable arm of the BBC – the BBC Media Action;  a member of the high-level group of the Africa-Europe Foundation. She is also on the international advisory boards of Afro Barometer and the Mandela Institute for Development Studies. 

 “It is an honour to welcome Zeinab back to SOAS as our new President. Her lifelong commitment to making a difference through her work combined with her distinguished career in broadcasting makes her an inspiring role model for our student community and beyond,” commented SOAS Director Professor Adam Habib.

Zeinab studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University and took a Masters degree (awarded with a distinction) in Middle East History and Anthropology at SOAS London University.

In 2011 Zeinab was awarded an honorary doctorate by SOAS for her services to international broadcasting and in August 2018, she was awarded the President’s Medal of the British Academy for her contributions to international political journalism and advocacy work for female education.