Akiko Yuge was Professor in the Department of Politics of the Faculty of Law of Hosei University, Tokyo, from 2014 to March 2024. Professor Yuge has had a long, distinguished career, with 30 years in the United Nations culminating as Assistant Secretary-General/Assistant Administrator and Director, Bureau of Management in the United Nations Development Programme. Professor Yuge has also served UNDP in other capacities, including Director of the UNDP Representation Office in Tokyo and Special Advisor to the UNDP Administrator. Among her many achievements, she has strengthened UNDP’s strategic partnerships with Japan in various areas, including policy dialogue, resource mobilization, joint projects and media coverage and visibility.

Professor Yuge currently serves as: Member of the Board of Directors of Japan Committee for UNICEF; Member of the Board of Trustees of Japan Foundation for United Nations University; Chair of the Development Project Accountability Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; as well as member of board of trustees of several Japanese NGOs.