Research Topics

Research and academic activities aligned with every Sustainable Development Goal

Topics Header Photo
The University shall devote its work to research into the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations and its agencies.
Charter of the United Nations University

People — topics on improving lives of people everywhere

Planet — topics on preserving and improving our environment and natural resources

Peace and partnerships — topics on fostering peaceful, just, and inclusive societies

Showing 11-20 of 9833 results

News 20 Aug 2026

UNU Macau Summer Training Programme 2026 Concludes Successfully

Four-day programme brings students from HUST together to explore AI, digital technologies, the UN, and sustainable development.

Blog Post 20 Aug 2026

Social Protection Rights in the Age of Algorithmic Decision-Making

Can social protection be automated without eroding rights? The answer depends less on the algorithm than on the policy logic governing it.

Conversation Series -

Trajectories of Change in the Japanese Economy

On 3 September 2026, UNU will host a conversation with Professor D. Hugh Whittaker, Professor in the Economy and Business of Japan at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies.

Article 20 Aug 2026

The AI Rules Are Being Rewritten By The Players Themselves

Training AI to align with human preferences is not enough if the incentives around it reward the wrong behavior.

News 20 Aug 2026

Dark Boreal Forests of Canada Absorb Enough Heat to Cancel Up to a Fifth of Their Climate Benefit, Scientists warn

Canada's carbon accounting ignores how much sunlight a forest reflects, and the credits built on it may overstate what they deliver

ITU Academy Training Centre

The use of AI to inform policy

This course provides an introduction to the use of AI for policy.

Article 19 Aug 2026

From Disaster Response to Anticipation: Act Before the Storm Hits

ASEAN can act now to refocus the next decade on innovative disaster preparedness, management and response.

Expert Research Intern

Thomas Manders

Thomas Manders is a research intern at UNU-CRIS.