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27 May 2021, Geneva, Switzerland and Beijing, China - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the Geneva School of Economics and Management of the University of Geneva and the School of Economics and Management of Tsinghua University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set global standards for SDG Education and Open Innovation.
The three documents were virtually signed by United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, Mr. Nikhil Seth, the Dean of the Geneva School of Economics and Management of the Univ...
As a curriculum or learning designer, few things are as heartbreaking as spending months crafting a course, only to witness low engagement, high dropout rates, and lacklustre response from your target learners. Unfortunately, disengagement is a widespread issue.Consider these statistics:Around 90% of online learners disengage with MOOCs (Reich, J., & Ruipérez-Valiente, J. A., 2019; Moore, R. L., & Blackmon, S. J., 2022). Approximately 20-30% of learners drop out of face-to-face courses (Rothkrantz, L., 2017).At least 39% of US university students...
22 February 2025, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is pleased to announce that Michelle Gyles-McDonnough has officially assumed office as its new Executive Director. She succeeds Nikhil Seth of India, whose mandate concluded on 31 January 2025. Ms. Gyles-McDonnough brings over 30 years of experience in sustainable development, policy advocacy, international trade, and organizational change management. She has held key leadership roles within the United Nations, most recently serving as Director of the Sustainable Dev...
16 December 2024, New York, USA - United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Michelle Gyles-McDonnough of Jamaica as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). She will officially assume her duties on 22 February 2025, succeeding Nikhil Seth of India, to whom the Secretary-General expressed profound gratitude for his dedication and contributions to the United Nations.With over 30 years of experience in sustainable development, policy advocacy, international trade, international rel...
Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Executive Director, UNITAROn 16 December 2024, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Michelle Gyles-McDonnough of Jamaica as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). With more than 30 years’ experience in sustainable development, policy advocacy, international trade and international relations, and change management in complex bureaucracies, Ms. Gyles-McDonnough has held multiple leadership roles withi...
24 October 2024, Geneva, Switzerland - In September, Member States came together to adopt a visionary Pact for the Future aimed at aligning international efforts with contemporary realities and future challenges. Today, on UN Day, the six research and training institutes of the United Nations reaffirm their commitment to supporting the Pact of the Future through specialized knowledge, learning, research and training for the UN system – benefitting the world as a whole. The UN research and training organizations include the United Nations Interregional Crime and Ju...
UNITAR's Division on NCD, Digital Health, and Capacity Building, in collaboration with The Defeat-NCD Partnership, partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University to deliver a workshop on preparing policy briefs based on alcohol consumption studies in the Republic of Rwanda, influencing national and international alcohol policies....
Franklin University Switzerland and UNITAR organized a joint event during the Open Geneva Hackathon Festival. The online Hackathon "Food as a nexus for synchronic urban and rural development" offered a platform to generate innovative ideas to rethink and improve food as a linkage for development in rural and urban areas. The hackathon lasted three days and was delivered entirely online, allowing participants worldwide to join the event.
The event included the participation of UN-Habitat, FAO and UNITAR experts to facilitate workshops and group work activities. Four w...
20 April 2021, New York, USA – Mr. Nikhil Seth, Executive Director of UNITAR, is visiting New York to discuss strategic matters with officials from the United Nations. During his first day, he had a meeting with Mr. Abdel Abdellatif, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation. The two discussed the cooperation between both offices through the Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) focusing on the use of maps, reports, and data from satellite images to assess the impact of flooding as the most frequent type of disaster. This initiative is to be...
UN Research and Training Institutes Mark UN Day with Renewed Call for Accelerated Action on the SDGs
24 October 2024 - Recognizing the importance of learning and knowledge as key foundations for development, this year six United Nations research and training entities mark UN Day with a renewed call for accelerated action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The entities comprise the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO), the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Develo...