Geneva; September 2026: The United Nations General Assembly yesterday (Thursday – 03rd September 2026) has adopted a resolution (resolution A/80/L.112 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 01st January 2027. The decision forms part of the broader UN80 Initiative, which seeks to strengthen coherence, effectiveness, and performance of the United Nations system.
UNICLI will bring together the complementary strengths of UNITAR’s leadership in training and capacity-development for Member States, diplomats and institutions, and UNSSC’s expertise in learning, leadership development, and knowledge management for United Nations personnel. Together, these strengths will create a more coherent and impactful platform to support national implementation, strengthen public sector capabilities, and improve UN system performance.
“This is an important step in strengthening how the United Nations supports Member States in delivering the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals”, said Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, while adding further that: “Member States and the United Nations system are facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges. The UN must continue to evolve, building stronger capabilities, fostering innovation, and enhancing institutional effectiveness to turn global commitments into tangible results”.
Miguel Panadero, Acting Director of UNSSC said, “By integrating UNSSC’s and UNITAR’s expertise in providing training for the UN system and Member States respectively, the new entity will be better positioned to provide a stronger, more coherent capability development function, providing end-to-end solutions for United Nations system personnel, Member States, government institutions, donors and partners”.
The transition will be implemented through a phased approach to ensure operational continuity and effective programme delivery, financial stability, legal certainty, and stakeholder confidence. The process will be carried out in accordance with applicable legal, administrative, contractual, and staff-related requirements.
Geneva, Switzerland, will remain the Headquarters of the new Institute, continuing to benefit from proximity to the Geneva-based United Nations and multilateral ecosystem. Turin, Italy, will continue to function as a learning campus and convening space, preserving its established role in United Nations system learning and leadership development. Bonn, Hiroshima, New York, and Madrid will continue serving their present functions.
The Secretary General Antonio Guterres has commended the initiative. “I welcome the General Assembly’s decision to merge @UNSSC with @UNITAR, replacing them with the UN Institute for Capability & Learning Innovation. It's an important step in the #UN80 Initiative, and part of the broader consolidation of the @UN's training & research capacities”.
Team Maverick.
