| Advertisement |
LONDON, May 23 (UPI) -- Angelina Jolie has signed on to teach at the prestigious London School of Economics. The 40-year-old American actress will serve as one of four visiting professors for a new master's program, the university announced in a press release Monday.
Advertisement
Jolie will join the school's Centre for Women, Peace and Security, which she co-founded in 2015. The program is "dedicated to developing strategies to promote gender equality and enhance women's economic, social and political participation and security."
"I am very encouraged by the creation of this master's program," the star said. "I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights."
"I look forward to teaching and to learning from the students as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations," she added.
Amnesty International Director of International Advocacy Jane Connors, former U.K. Foreign Secretary Lord William Hague and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Secretary General Madeleine Rees were also appointed. The program starts taking student applications in the fall.
"Bringing practitioners, policy makers and activists together with scholars is essential in advancing knowledge and influencing global and local policy-making," center director Christine Chinkin said. "I am delighted to welcome these four leaders in their respective fields."
Jolie and Hague launched the center last February as part of their Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. The initiative aims "to raise awareness, rally global action, promote greater international coherence and increase the political will and capacity of states to do more to address" sexual violence.
Jolie became a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ambassador in 2001 and was made a special envoy in 2012. The actress last appeared in By the Sea with husband Brad Pitt and will next star in Maleficent 2.
