Currently, Jairam is director of International Leadership Institute, United Nations University, in Amman, Jordan. He held teaching positions at the Universities of London, Temple and Washington, Western Cape and Durban Westville. He was former vice-chancellor of the University of Durban and had chaired the National Commission on Higher Education, South Africa. He was also a member and chair of United Nations University Council and a Fulbright Fellow. He enjoys reading, walking and bird-watching. Jairam is a Salzburg Seminar Alumnus having served as a Faculty member and as a Fellow on many sessions over the years, most recently he served as the team leader of, VAP 63, Novosibirsk State University, 2004