The Office of the President has today announced the appointment of Dr Bernard Valentin as Chairperson of the University of Seychelles Council, effective 24th March 2026, for a period of three (3) years.
Dr Valentin brings to this role a distinguished record of public health leadership and national service. He currently serves as Special Advisor to the Minister for Health and has over a decade of experience as Principal Secretary for Health, having held the position across two terms from 2011 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2025. During his tenure, he provided executive oversight to the National Institute of Health and Social Studies, contributing significantly to the strengthening of academic programmes and institutional development.
His leadership experience spans multiple national bodies. Dr Valentin is currently Chairperson of the Seychelles Medical and Dental Council and also chairs the non-governmental organisation Patient Solidarity. Since 2018, he has served as a member of the Seychelles Qualifications Authority and previously sat on the University of Seychelles Council between 2016 and 2018. At the international level, he represented Seychelles on the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation for three years, reflecting his engagement in global health governance.
Dr Valentin holds a medical degree from the University of Athens and a Master of Arts in Health Services Management with distinction from the University of Manchester. He also holds a combined diploma in Epidemiology, Statistics and Management from the University of Nairobi, as well as a Diploma in Addiction Studies from the University of Reunion.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr Valentin has contributed to academic research, including coordinating the Seychelles component of an international study in collaboration with Lund University and the University of Rochester on the long-term public health effects of heavy metals on specific population groups. He has also co-authored a peer-reviewed article in the field of public health.
Beyond his medical and policy career, Dr Valentin is an accomplished literary figure and a two-time laureate of the Antoine Abel Prize, Seychelles’ highest literary honour. Fluent in English, French, Greek, and Creole, he brings a unique combination of clinical expertise, administrative leadership, and cultural depth to the role.
The Government welcomes Dr Valentin’s appointment and is confident that his extensive experience and leadership will contribute to the continued growth and strengthening of the University of Seychelles as a centre of academic excellence.
VICTORIA, Seychelles — Hilton properties in Seychelles have made a generous donation of food items to the National Council for Children (NCC) in a ceremony held yesterday at the council’s headquarters in Bel Eau, to mark World Hunger Day on May 28. The event reflected a strong and growing partnership between Hilton and NCC, and highlighted a shared commitment to improving the wellbeing of children and families in vulnerable situations.
Speaking on behalf of Hilton properties in Seychelles, Jason Kladidis expressed how honoured the Hilton group feels to make this donation to its longstanding partner NCC. He noted that the group has been working with the council for a number of years, and that the partnership is part of a wider effort to give back to the communities in which the hotels operate. The donation will be used to support the council’s ongoing work with children and families across the country.
According to the NCC, the donation comes at a particularly important time, with the council seeing increased demand for its services as more families face economic pressure. The council said the partnership with Hilton has enabled it to expand its programmes, including food assistance, educational support, and family counselling. World Hunger Day, observed annually on May 28, is an opportunity to draw attention to the ongoing challenge of food insecurity and to renew commitments to ending hunger in all its forms.
