UNITAR
16 October 2026, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and University College Dublin (UCD) have taken an important step towards developing joint programs offering Certificates, Professional Diplomas and Master's degrees with various specializations in Sustainable Development, and in partnership with VET, Corporate and governmental agencies. This collaboration also provides the platform to launch the first pilot of the Capabilities 4 the Future (CAP4FUTURE) Hub in Ireland.
Following a hybrid multistakeholder dialogue at UCD on 24th September, the two institutions will now pursue targeted discussions with participating organizations to identify concrete areas of collaboration for the Hub’s establishment.
The proposed master’s programme would serve as a foundational component of the CAP4FUTURE Hub, combining academic study with customizable, certified learning pathways designed to respond to emerging capability needs. This collaborative effort will help serve stakeholders based in Ireland but also those along Global Supply Chains in and out of Ireland to make them resilient, inclusive and sustainable, achieving the targets of SDG 8 and SDG 9.
UNITAR
Partnership between industry, academic institutions, and organizations like the UN is critical. So, what we are hoping is to launch this initiative out of this international city, Dublin, to showcase to the world the real success model and other countries will see what's happening in Dublin, and they could replicate and scale”. – Mihoko Kumamoto, Director, Division for Prosperity, UNITAR.
Co-hosted by UNITAR and UCD during UCD SDG Week, the dialogue brought cross-sectoral stakeholders together in person at the university and online. Opening remarks from UNITAR and UCD leadership introduced the shared ambition for the master’s programme and the CAP4FUTURE Hub before participants examined the capability gaps facing Ireland and considered how the Hub could respond.
Three priorities emerged strongly from the exchange. Participants emphasized that meaningful progress would depend on sustained collaboration among technical and vocational education and training providers, the private and public sectors, academia and social partners. They also identified a clear opportunity to co-create and co-design learning with employers and institutions so that programmes remain practical, adaptable and closely aligned with evolving workforce needs.
The discussion further explored artificial intelligence as a major driver of digital transformation. Participants recognized its potential to strengthen productivity, learning and innovation while stressing that its adoption must remain human centered, responsible and focused on enabling people rather than displacing their agency. This reinforced the Hub’s proposed role as a space where different sectors can jointly shape learning pathways and practical responses to technological change.
UNITAR
The work includes having jointly interoperable accredited training by VET-UN-Academia-Corporates around future skills (digital and sustainability). This training is open to workers, corporates, governments and UN staff along Global Supply Chains and offered as a global public good.” – Professor Patrick Paul Walsh, Full Professor of Global Affairs and Sustainable Futures, University College Dublin.
The CAP4FUTURE Hub
The CAP4FUTURE Hub responds to the rapid reshaping of global value chains by green and digital technologies. Developed by UNITAR together with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and UCD, it is intended to bridge capability gaps and help build adaptable, accredited and future ready workforces through multistakeholder dialogue, learning pathways, micro-credentials and interregional knowledge exchange.
Ireland offers a timely setting for the pilot. The country holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union until 31st December 2026, with competitiveness among the Presidency’s three core themes. The dialogue therefore connected national capability building needs with wider European priorities around sustainable industry, resilience and digital and green transformation.
The event marked the first formal public step towards a UNITAR and UCD academic partnership and a broader Irish coalition around the Hub. UNITAR and UCD will now follow up with interested stakeholders to explore potential contributions, partnership models and areas of substantive cooperation. These discussions will help shape the proposed master’s program, inform the Hub’s implementation model and build momentum towards a formal launch in Ireland.