17 September 2026, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR, in collaboration with York University in Canada, released the study, “Assessing Attitudinal Change Towards Drinking and Driving: A Systematic Review of Intervention Tools, from Classical Theory to Generative AI. Understanding why many interventions produce only short-lived results, while providing a practical and evidence-based toolkit that governments, NGOs, and road-safety practitioners can use to measure and, ultimately, increase attitudinal and behavioural change are the key objectives of this study.

9 September 2026, Curitiba, Brazil – CIFAL Curitiba delivered 156 initiatives reaching 1,872 participants in 2025, according to its newly published Annual Report of Activities. The report highlights the Centre’s work across economic and social development, sustainability and governance, including programmes promoting migrant inclusion, advancing women’s entrepreneurship and fostering responsible business practices.

28 August 2026, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Empower School of Health celebrated the graduation of the 2026 cohort of their joint programmes in a ceremony held at the Palais des Nations. The event brought together graduates from every region of the world alongside senior United Nations officials, as well as faculty and industry partners, marking one of the most internationally representative graduating classes in the partnership's history.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution (resolution A/80/L.112 (adopted 3 Sept 2026)), approving the merger of the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the establishment of the United Nations Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI).

UNITAR has become a Networking Partner of the Building Bridges Conference, which will bring together more than 2’000 participants under the theme “Investable Solutions to Global Challenges” on 6-8 October 2026 at the CICG in Geneva.

UNITAR and Empower School of Health delivered the inaugural Youth Career Accelerator in Health at the Palais des Nations, bringing students and early-career professionals from 16 countries into direct contact with the institutions, industries and ideas that shape global health from Geneva.

Geneva/Turin, 3 September 2026 — The United Nations General Assembly today adopted a resolution (resolution A/80/L.112 (adopted 3 Sept 2026)) endorsing the merger of the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and establishing the new United Nations Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI), targeted for 1 January 2027. The decision forms part of the broader UN80 Initiative, which seeks to strengthen coherence, effectiveness, and performance of the United Nations system.

28 August 2026, Hiroshima, Japan – Dr. Yumi Kisaka from Japan has dedicated herself to improving people’s lives through health – from working as a medical doctor to shaping Japan’s health policies and now contributing to global health at the World Health Organization (WHO) as an external relations officer. Yet, despite having achieved many of her career goals, the financial crisis and subsequent organizational downsizing prompted her to reflect on her professional growth, motivation and future direction. The FY2025 Mid-Career Course of the Program for Global Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding and Development helped her remember why she had chosen a career in medicine, clarify her aspirations, and regain a clearer sense of professional purpose.

27 August 2026, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), through the CIFAL Global Network, participated in the 2026 Worldwide Educators Conference (WWEC), held from 20 to 22 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, China. CIFAL Shanghai served as one of the key organizers of the 12th edition of the conference.

The conference brought together scholars, industry leaders, business leaders, academicians and scientific researchers to exchange perspectives on the future of education, sustainable development and cross-sector collaboration. Against this backdrop, UNITAR and representatives from CIFAL Centres contributed to international dialogue on the role of education in advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The conference was framed around the broader objective of implementing a talent strategy, accelerating efforts towards becoming a powerful educational nation, and aligning educational development with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also provided a platform for policy dialogue, industry exchange and education-industry-academia cooperation, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors towards the goal of becoming a powerful educational nation by 2035.

Three students presented their initiatives as part of the Fosun Foundation Visionaries Awards, during the opening ceremony of the sixth edition of the Global Diplomacy Bootcamp, organized by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in partnership with Harbour Education.