Capacity Development

Participants and staff of the ITU Academy summer school, Catalysing the Digital Future: Digital Transformation for Sustainability.
Participants and staff of the ITU Academy summer school, Catalysing the Digital Future: Digital Transformation for Sustainability. H. Pijpers / UNU-MERIT & Maastricht University
UNU MERIT_EPRM

The Capacity Development Office (CDO) of UNU-MERIT provides career-enhancing training for policymakers and practitioners. Our programmes are designed to help participants influence and implement policy related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Our purpose as a university and UN think tank is to offer unique learning and training opportunities not only to students but also to everyone looking to address contemporary and future sustainable development challenges, expand their knowledge and networks, and achieve personal and professional growth.

Our offering includes our offering of short, online and open access courses that are open for enrollment. In addition, we collaborate with partners on selected sets of trainings within particular topics or serving the targeted agenda of institutions or donors. Lastly, we offered tailored trainings to suit the demand of institutions,  co-creating a specific training with the client. 

Open for Enrolment

Capacity Development

Evidence-Based Policy Research Methods (EPRM) programme

The EPRM programme equips participants with essential tools to design and analyse research, fostering informed policymaking decisions.

Training

United Nations University Program on Digital Technology and Sustainable Development

This program, designed for bachelor's and master's students, introduces the use of AI for public policy with a truly multidisciplinary perspective

-

Training

AI Research for Better Policy

This unique 1-week training, designed for PhD students, early-career researchers and working professionals, introduces the use of AI for research

-

ITU Academy Training Centre

Public policy evaluation for digital transformation

This course aims to analyse, monitor, and evaluate digital public policies.

ITU Academy Training Centre

Evidence-based digital policies to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity

Advanced training on evidence-based digital policies and ICT data for Universal and Meaningful Connectivity in Bangkok, Thailand.

Continuous Open Enrollment Offering

Online Courses

Short Courses

Policy Research Translated to Action Masterclass Series

Open Access Courses

Programs

Design and Evaluation of Innovation Policies (DEIP)

ITU Academy Training Centre

MMCD – Enhancing Migration Management through Capacity Development

Ongoing projects

Higher Education, Digitalisation

DigiGrad Africa Project

Internationalisation and Digitalisation of Graduate Training and Research for the Attainment of African Regional and Global Development Goals

MMCD – Enhancing Migration Management through Capacity Development

Migration Management Bangladesh Training (MMBT)

Two-week migration management training in Maastricht & Brussels for Bangladeshi civil servants

Capacity Development Office

Social statistics by gender with cognitive interviewing

This training course builds practical capacity in using cognitive interviewing to improve the measurement of gender‑related social statistics.

Capacity Development Office

Fair and ethical recruitment training

This project supports the implementation of fair and ethical recruitment (FER) practices across multiple partner countries.

ITU Academy Training Centre

Emerging technologies and human rights 2026

Learn how emerging digital technologies impact human rights and how responsible governance can harness innovation while protecting fundamental rights.

ITU Academy Training Centre

Summer school on evidence-based digital policies to achieve universal and meaningful connectivity

This summer school focuses on enhancing skills for creating evidence-based digital policies to achieve Universal and Meaningful Connectivity.

More information

For more details on our programmes or to discuss options for designing and delivering Capacity Development programmes with UNU-MERIT, please write to: cdo@merit.unu.edu

Learn about recent news and developments of our Capacity Development Office here.