United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace
The United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP) was an institute of the United Nations University (UNU), a think tank for the United Nations system which provides a bridge between the UN and the international academic and policy-making communities. UNU-ISP is based at UNU headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, with an Operating Unit located in Germany (UNU-ISP SCYCLE).
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 United Nations University headquarters | |
| Abbreviation | UNU-ISP |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2009 |
| Type | University, Think Tank |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters |  Japan Tokyo Shibuya |
| Website | United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace |
UNU-ISP seeks to achieve and promote a better understanding of the three of the most pressing issues on the UN agenda: global change, peace and security, and development. Utilizing an innovative approach to sustainability, the institute's work connects these themes through research, and educational and collaborative initiatives, all with the goal of addressing present issues and anticipating future challenges.
Overview
As an institute of the United Nations University, UNU-ISP is bound by the UNU Charter,[1] and the guidelines set out by the UNU Council.[2] UNU-ISP works in collaboration with other UNU institutes and programs, as well as through collaborative relationships with the global academic and policy-making communities. Within the context of sustainability and peace, UNU-ISP:
- Conducts research; undertakes education, training and capacity development; and facilitates the dissemination of scientific knowledge and information to the United Nations and its agencies, to scholars and to the public.
- Provides opportunities for postgraduate students and professionals to obtain a wider understanding of relevant issues.
- Integrates the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities into a transdisciplinary approach that contributes to the development and strengthening of policy frameworks and management actions at all levels.
UNU-ISP offers a postgraduate program, the Master of Science in Sustainability, Development, and Peace. This two-year program addresses pressing global issues through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that integrates the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities.
History
UNU-ISP became operational on January 1, 2009[3] to give an institutional identity and profile to the integrated academic activities of two former UNU programs: the Environment and Sustainable Development program, and the Peace and Governance program. The institute combines the strengths in natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities of these two former programs, and creates transdisciplinary synergies that can more effectively address pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare.
Research
In line with the UNU Charter, the research of UNU-ISP addresses "global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations and its agencies". UNU-ISP applies innovative, holistic approaches to identify sustainable solutions to such problems, cross-fertilizing natural science and social science methodologies through teams working on institute-wide, cross-cutting themes. The institute conducts policy-relevant research into the following three thematic areas, while integrating overarching elements such as ecological security, human rights, gender, and governance.