United Nations University


The United Nations University is the academic and research arm of the United Nations. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a U.N. institution, its mission is to help resolve global issues related to human development and welfare through collaborative research and education.
In 1969, U.N. Secretary-General U Thant proposed "the establishment of a United Nations university, truly international and devoted to the Charter objectives of peace and progress". Following three annual sessions discussing the matter, the United Nations General Assembly approved the founding of the United Nations University in December 1972. Tokyo was chosen as its main location due to the Japanese government's commitment of $100 million to the UNU endowment fund.
Since 2010, UNU has been authorized by the UNGA to grant degrees, offering several master's and doctoral programs. It also facilitates the U.N.'s engagement with academic institutions and policymakers around the world.

Organisation and leadership

The university is headed by a rector, who holds the rank of Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.
To date, there have been six Rectors at UNU.
The current Rector, since March 2013, is Dr. David M. Malone of Canada.
List of Rectors of United Nations University:
#RectorTook officeLeft office
1James M. Hester11 November 197410 April 1980
2Soedjatmoko10 April 198030 March 1987
3Heitor Gurgulino de Souza30 March 19871 September 1997
4Hans J.A. Van Ginkel1 September 19971 September 2007
5Konrad Osterwalder1 September 200728 February 2013
6David M. Malone1 March 2013Incumbent

The Council of UNU is the governing board of the University and is composed of 12 members who are appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations with the concurrence of the Director-General of UNESCO.

History

The University was established in 1973 and formally began its activities in 1976 following the signature of the permanent headquarters agreement between the United Nations and Japan. The creation of the United Nations University was set in motion by Secretary-General U Thant in 1969.

UNU Institutes and Vice-Rectorate

Over the years, several Institutes of UNU were created to help with the research initiatives of the United Nations. Most notably, in 2007, a vice-rectorate was established in Bonn, Germany, as a way of strengthening UNU's presence in Europe.

UNU as a degree-granting institution

In December 2009, the UN General Assembly amended the UNU Charter to make it possible for UNU to "grant and confer master's degrees and doctorates, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions under conditions laid down for that purpose in the statutes by the Council."
In 2013, UNU-ISP announced its intention to seek accreditation from the National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation which is the Japanese accreditation agency for higher education institutions. UNU-IAS was formally accredited in April 2015, making it the first international organization to be recognized by the NIAD-UE.
In 2014 UNU-MERIT, in collaboration with Maastricht University, started to grant a double-degree Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development. In 2018, the programme was re-accredited by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders and received the official EAPAA accreditation by the European Association for Public Administration Accreditation.

Locations

The university has several campuses spread over five continents. Its headquarters are located at the UNU Centre in Tokyo, Japan.

Research

The role of the UN University is to generate new knowledge, educate, enhance individual and institutional capacities, and disseminate its useful information to relevant audiences. Within the scope of these five thematic clusters, the UN University undertakes:
As prescribed in the United Nations University Strategic Plan 2011–2014, the 26 major topics of focus of the UN University's academic work fall within five interdependent thematic clusters:
  1. Peace, Security and Human Rights; Peace building and peace keeping, Conflict resolution and human security, Fostering dialogue among civilizations, religions and cultures, Human rights and ethics, Gender equality and mainstreaming,
  2. Human and Socio-economic Development and Good Governance; Growth and economic development, Alleviating poverty and inequalities, Good governance, Enhancing educational capacities, Fair trade, Processes and consequences of regional integration and cooperation, Leadership, management and entrepreneurship.
  3. Global Health, Population and Sustainable Livelihoods; Global health, Safe water and sanitation, Food and nutrition for human and social development, Combating HIV/AIDS, Population changes and migration.
  4. Global Change and Sustainable Development; Climate change – adaptation and mitigation, Ecological health and biodiversity, New risk and vulnerabilities, Sustainable land, agriculture and natural resources management, Green economy.
  5. Science, Technology, Innovation and Society; Science, technology and innovation, Sustainable energy futures, Sustainable urban futures, Sustainable housing and construction.
Collectively, these thematic clusters define the programme space within which the UN University undertakes its academic activities. Some key perspectives pervade all aspects of the UN University's work.

Institutes and programmes

The academic work of the United Nations University is carried out by a global system of Institutes, Operating Units, and Programmes located in more than 12 countries around the world.

Institutes