The United Nations University (UNU), established in 1973, is the academic and research arm of the United Nations. It is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a UN institution. Since 2010, UNU has been authorized by the United Nations General Assembly to grant degrees. It also provides a bridge between the UN and the international academic, policy-making and private sector communities.
The university is headed by a rector who holds the rank of Under-Secretary General of the United Nations.
Institutes and programmes
The academic work of the United Nations University is carried out by a global system of research and training institutes and programmes.
Institutes
UNU Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies in Bruges, Belgium
UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn, Germany
UNU Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) in Dresden, Germany
UNU Institute of Advanced Studies in Yokohama, Japan (will be merged with UNU –ISP)
UNU International Institute for Global Health in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
UNU Institute on Computing and Society (UNU-CS) in Macao, China
UNU Institute for Natural Resources in Africa in Accra, Ghana
UNU Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) in Tokyo, Japan
UNU Maastricht Economic and Social Research and Training Institute on Innovation and Technology in Maastricht, Netherlands
UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) in Hamilton, Canada
Programmes:
UNU Programme for Biotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNU-BIOLAC) in Caracas, Venezuela
UNU Food and Nutrition Programme for Human and Social Development (UNU-FNP) in Ithaca, United States
UNU Fisheries Training Programme (UNU-FTP) in Reykjavik, Iceland
UNU Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP) in Reykjavik, Iceland
UNU Land Restoration Training Programme (UNU-LRT) in Reykjavik, Iceland