United Nations University

The United Nations University (UNU) is the academic arm and think tank of the United Nations. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, it has grown from a single office into a network of 13 specialised institutes across 12 countries, staffed by more than 400 researchers. Its remit is to generate evidence-based knowledge and policy-relevant research on the world's most pressing challenges, with a stated focus on human survival, development and welfare. The university's work spans the full breadth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, delivered through more than 180 research projects at any given time. Alongside its research, it produces knowledge and analysis intended to inform decision-makers at the highest levels, positioning itself as a bridge between the international academic community and the UN system. It maintains more than 200 collaborations with UN agencies and academic partners, including leading universities and research institutions worldwide. UNU also functions as a university in its own right, offering graduate-level academic programmes and training postgraduate students. Capacity development forms a further pillar, with programmes particularly directed at developing countries. The institution describes its orientation as global and interdisciplinary, combining postgraduate education, capacity building and evidence-based policy research within a single mandate.