13 November 2025, Tokyo and Budapest — The United Nations University (UNU) is pleased to announce that it has signed a host country agreement with the Government of Hungary to establish a new UNU Institute in Kőszeg, Hungary that will focus on applying futures literacy and foresight methodologies to issues of peace, security and transformative technologies. The new institute, to be established in 2026, is made possible through the generous support and cooperation of the Government of Hungary and will be hosted by the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg (iASK).
The institute will focus its research and training on the dynamic intersection of sustainable development and technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and neurotechnology, informed by futures literacy — the capacity to understand why and how we can use future scenarios to shape present actions.
The institute will advance futures literacy as a tool to positively shape how the world confronts geopolitical conflicts exacerbated by technological change. Vitally, the institute will prioritize contributions to research excellence, capacity-building and policy impact in the Global South.
Following a comprehensive 2025 scoping study by a team of international experts, the Government of Hungary has pledged a significant contribution to the UNU endowment fund to ensure the institute’s long-term sustainability. Kőszeg, Hungary was chosen as the institute’s location for its symbolic and strategic value, located at the gateway to the Western Balkans and near Vienna, one of four main office sites of the United Nations. The Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg will be an ideal host that provides strong academic infrastructure and a demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary research — a core tenet of the UNU mission.
UNU Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala welcomed the establishment of the new institute: “By exploring the interconnected issues that influence diverse future scenarios, futures literacy helps us prepare and plan for tomorrow while reframing and shaping actions to achieve sustainable development today. The institute will be a vibrant source of policy-relevant, interdisciplinary, futures literacy research, particularly related to fragile regions and the Global South. On behalf of the United Nations University, I am thrilled to partner with the Government of Hungary and the Institute of Advanced Studies Kőszeg as we expand UNU research impact.”
UNU Vice-Rector in Europe Prof. Shen Xiaomeng emphasized the unique importance and timing of the establishment of the institute: “As we are facing an increasingly polarized world along with other major global challenges such as climate overshoot and rapid development of technologies, this new institute will provide policymakers with innovative and creative pathways to tackle these challenges. Since we do not face these challenges in isolation, solutions can only be found through international collaboration, hence the necessity to build strong partnerships, locally, regionally and globally. This new institute sets the example for such cooperation to jointly strengthen multilateralism.”
At the press conference following the signing of the host country agreement, Minister of Culture and Innovation of Hungary Balázs Hankó called the establishment of the UN University Institute in Kőszeg a historic achievement, highlighting that this is the first such institute in the Central and Eastern European region. He stressed that the new institute will strengthen the international presence and competitiveness of universities and research centres across the region and he expressed hope that the institute will become a meeting place for scholars from the region. The Minister went on to emphasize that the establishment of the UNU Institute in Kőszeg is a sign of the international success of Hungarian researchers and Hungarian higher education and he praised the effectiveness of the cooperation that made the rapid establishment of the institute possible.
Professor Ferenc Miszlivetz, General Director of iASK, noted: “The initiative to create this new UNU institute has galvanized cooperation among Hungarian and Central European institutions and is already bringing together partners, universities and municipalities to build viable visions, strategies and recommendations for regional governments. The institute will drive new collaborations at global, regional and local levels of research and policymaking, and create a wider scope to find holistic approaches to complex global challenges.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
Kyra Bowman
Head of Communications, United Nations University
