Affiliated with UNITAR

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)  is a training arm of the United Nations System, serving some 36,000 beneficiaries annually by conducting close to 500 capacity development and research activities around the world. We empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges.

CIFAL Flanders is part of UNITAR, and is therefore included in the list of ‘affiliated centres’ on the UNITAR website. This gives CIFAL Flanders a unique position of being a UN-embedded organisation, working with global agendas and core texts like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Mission of UNITAR is to develop capacities of individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and to support country-level action for shaping a better future.  Our training targets two key groups of beneficiaries: the delegates to the United Nations and others who develop intergovernmental agreements establishing global norms, policies, and programmes, and the key national change agents who turn the global agreements into action at the national level.

UNITAR offers various training and capacity-development activities in the thematic areas oStrengthen multilateralism Promote economic development and social inclusionAdvance environmental sustainability and green developmentPromote sustainable peace Research and Technology Applications and Cross-cutting issues.

 

The  Decentralized Cooperation Programme (DCP)  of UNITAR delivers innovative training aimed at strengthening the capacity of government authorities and civil society leaders to contribute towards the advancement of sustainable development. DCP’s training programmes serve as a platform to exchange knowledge and facilitate cooperation among decision-makers from different levels of government, civil society and the private sector.  Read more about who we are .

DCP’s training covers a variety of sustainable development topics and is delivered in different forms, including face-to-face events, e-learning courses, advanced education programmes and blended-learning activities.  Read more about what we do .

As an autonomous body within the United Nations System, UNITAR is governed by a Board of Trustees and is headed by an Executive Director. The Institute is supported by voluntary contributions from governments, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, and other non-governmental sources.


Core functions

  • designing and delivering innovative training to address needs of individuals, organizations and institutions;
  • facilitating knowledge and experience-sharing through networked and innovative processes;
  • conducting research on and pilots innovative learning strategies, approaches and methodologies; and
  • advising and supporting governments, UN and other partners with technology-based knowledge-related services.

UNITAR Around the World

Geneva

Hiroshima

New York

Bonn