The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organisation headquartered in Japan, and was established by GA res. 2951 (XXVII)(1972) as an autonomous organ of the General Assembly.
Be a system of academic institutions, rather than an inter-governmental organisation
Comprise a central programming and coordinating body along with a decentralised network of affilated research, teaching and training institutions
Be integrated into the world university community, and devoted to research into "pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare" and to post-graduate training and teaching of young scholars and researchers (particularly those from developing countries)
Have a special mandate to alleviate the intellectual isolation of academics in developing countries by organising worldwide networks of collaborating scholars and research institutions
Be funded by voluntary contributions (from governments, international organisations, foundations, universities and others)
The mission of the UN University is to contribute, through collaborative research and education, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States.
In carrying out this mission, the UN University works with leading universities and research institutes in UN Member States, functioning as a bridge between the international academic community and the United Nations system.
Through postgraduate teaching activities, UNU contributes to capacity building, particularly in developing countries.
The Rector is the chief academic and administrative officer, with overall responsibility for the direction, organization, administration and programmes of the University. The Rector holds the rank of UN Under-Secretary-General.
The UNU Council is responsible for devising the principles and policies that govern the University’s operations, and for considering and approving the budget and work programme.
The University is comprised of 14 institutes and programmes located in 12 countries each with its own Director, advisory board and staff.
As part of the UN family of organizations, the University maintains close working relationships with other UN agencies, programmes, commissions, funds and convention secretariats. In order to enhance these collaborations, two liaison offices are maintained at the UN Secretariat in New York and at UNESCO in Paris.
Ms Angela Kane, UNU Council Chair; Senior Fellow, Vienna Centre for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament; Professor, Sciences Po (Paris) Germany 2016–2022
Prof Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz, Scientific Director, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP); Professor, Gleb Wataghin Physics Institute, State University of Campinas Brazil 2016–2022
Dr Denisa Čiderová, Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies, University of Economics in Bratislava Slovakia 2019-2025
Dr Comfort Ero, Program Director, Crisis Group United Kingdom 2019–2025
Dr Xin Fang, President & Professor, School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences China 2019-2025
Ms Isabel Guerrero Pulgar, Director IMAGO Global Grassroots, Lecturer at Harvard and MIT Chile 2016-2022
Prof Adam Habib, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Witwatersrand South Africa 2019–2025
Dr Segenet Kelemu, Director General and CEO, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Ethiopia 2016–2022
Prof Tsuneo Nishida, Honorary Director, Institute for Peace Science, Hiroshima University Japan 2016–2022
Prof 'Funmi Olonisakin, Vice-President and Vice-Principal International and Professor of Security, Leadership & Development, King's College London United Kingdom & Nigeria 2016–2019
Prof Brenda Yeoh, Raffles Professor of Social Sciences, National University of Singapore Singapore 2019-2025
53-70, Jingumae 5-chome Shibuya, Tokyo 150-8925 Japan Telephone: (+81 3) 5467 1212 Fax: (+81 3) 3499 2828 Email: mbox@unu.edu
Organ(s)
Category
HQ location
Date established
Resolution
The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organisation headquartered in Japan, and was established by GA res. 2951 (XXVII)(1972) as an autonomous organ of the General Assembly.
The Resolution provided that the University:
The mission of the UN University is to contribute, through collaborative research and education, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States.
In carrying out this mission, the UN University works with leading universities and research institutes in UN Member States, functioning as a bridge between the international academic community and the United Nations system.
Through postgraduate teaching activities, UNU contributes to capacity building, particularly in developing countries.
The
Rector
is the chief academic and administrative officer, with overall responsibility for the direction, organization, administration and programmes of the University. The Rector holds the rank of UN Under-Secretary-General.The UNU Council is responsible for devising the principles and policies that govern the University’s operations, and for considering and approving the budget and work programme.
The University is comprised of 14 institutes and programmes located in 12 countries each with its own Director, advisory board and staff.
As part of the UN family of organizations, the University maintains close working relationships with other UN agencies, programmes, commissions, funds and convention secretariats. In order to enhance these collaborations, two liaison offices are maintained at the UN Secretariat in New York and at UNESCO in Paris.
Germany
2016–2022
Brazil
2016–2022
Slovakia
2019-2025
United Kingdom
2019–2025
China
2019-2025
Chile
2016-2022
South Africa
2019–2025
Ethiopia
2016–2022
India
2016–2022
Japan
2016–2022
United Kingdom & Nigeria
2016–2019
Singapore
2019-2025
53-70, Jingumae 5-chome
Shibuya, Tokyo 150-8925
Japan
Telephone: (+81 3) 5467 1212
Fax: (+81 3) 3499 2828
Email: mbox@unu.edu