2024 Regional Academy on the United Nations
Pact for the Future: A new order of international cooperation that delivers a better present and safeguards the future?
November 2024 – July 2025
Background
In November 2021, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented his annual report entitled “Our Common Agenda,” in which he called on Member States for new ideas on how to address current and future challenges and rebuild solidarity and trust among societies. In the report, Secretary Guterres asked to renew the political, economic, and social multilateral systems to ensure no one is left behind and to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
The resulting commitment is the “Pact for the Future,” whose zero draft began to be developed by Member States and other stakeholders during the 78th UNGA in New York City. The final version is expected to be negotiated and endorsed at the “Summit for the Future,” which will be held during the upcoming 79th UNGA in September 2024.
The “Pact for the Future” aims to reaffirm the UN Charter, reinvigorate multilateralism, boost existing commitments, agree on solutions to challenges, and restore trust among all members of the international community. Consequently, the pact comprises high-level tracks including sustainable development, climate change, a new agenda for peace, a global digital compact, and outer space governance.
As the implementation and future success of the “Pact for the Future” relies not only on the UN Member States but also on various stakeholders, including academia and civil society organisations, the 2024 Regional Academy programme will focus on exploring how UN agencies can deliver on the high-level tracks and other commitments resulting from the upcoming “Summit for the Future.”
The specific topics from the “Pact for the Future” that the students will research are:
Sustainable development and financing for development
International peace and security
Science, technology and innovation, and digital cooperation
Youth and future generations
Transforming global governance
Why participate?
At a time when our world is at a critical juncture, participants will have the opportunity to participate in one of the most ambitious discussions about our future.
They have the unique opportunity to convey their ideas, including critical opinions to world leaders, the United Nations, the academic community and civil society at large.
Participants will have an opportunity to learn from the high-ranking UN officials.
Participants will present the results of their research at the UN headquarters in Vienna.
Konrad Gertz, Consultant at UNODC in Vienna, RAUN 2021 participant
"Taking part in the Regional Academy of the United Nations was an invaluable experience that not only broadened my academic horizons but also offered important insights into launching a career within the United Nations system.
Through mentorship and collaboration with UN experts, RAUN provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of different International Organizations and connected me with other young professionals from different academic fields."
94% of participants say
that the RAUN project was a valuable experience for pursuing a career in an international organization
88% of participants confirm
that taking part in the RAUN project brings the opportunity of extending your professional network
81% agree
that over the course of the project they learned new soft skills
88% of the students
found new friends through participation in the RAUN project
Things that RAUN 2022 participants enjoyed the most
(anonymous feedback)
About RAUN 2024
The nine-month long program consists of two in-person session and two online sessions that include several lectures and workshops linked to the RAUN theme of this year.
Participants will have the possibility to work on specific topics from a list suggested by the UN or partner organizations. Once topics have been selected, participants will be matched in small groups of 3 (maximum 4) to work on their chosen topic.
As a final outcome, participants will be required to submit a policy brief/paper of 12 to 15 pages based on desk research of the issues and discussions with experts from the UN and other organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens. The policy brief/paper should include background information about the issue, ideas about the kind of future we want to create and common goals, an evaluation of the progress made towards achieving the goals (including milestones and challenges), and effective measures to support the process.
Structure of the Academy
The Academy follows a unique format combining lectures and interactive workshops with practical hands-on experience. The program consists of two sessions in person and two online sessions per academic year (November until July). All courses are given by high-ranking experts and practitioners who share their rich experience with participants in an informal setting.
Apart from coursework during the sessions, participants work on research projects in close cooperation with UN organizations and other international organizations on topics related to the RAUN theme. Through their group work, participants are able to develop their research skills and form strong networks with like-minded peers, academics, and experts from various fields in an environment that fosters diversity, cultural learning, and understanding.
During the program, participants get the opportunity to visit UN institutions in Vienna. The results of the research projects will be presented during the final RAUN session at the UN Headquarters in Vienna in July 2025. At the end of the program, participants receive certificates of successful completion of the Academy.
Expert mentors
Participants will exchange with experts from the United Nations or partner organizations on a regular basis for consultations and discussions. These meetings shall help participants to better understand the issues and provide expert guidance during the drafting of the recommendations.
PEER+
Each group of participants will be assigned a PEER+, someone who has participated in the RAUN programme before, to provide additional support. PEER+ give advice based on their experience with RAUN and help participants by providing feedback on their work.
Sessions
• 2 in-person sessions (2-3 days each): late November 2024 (Barcelona) and mid-July 2025 (Vienna) - both dates to be confirmed
• 2 online sessions (half a day each): dates to be announced
NOTE: For successful completion of the Academy participants are strictly required to participate in all sessions and to fully contribute to the final research outcome.
Participation fee
One time, non-refundable 200€. Limited number of scholarships is available on a merit basis. See Current Admission for more information.
Certificates
At the end of the programme, participants will receive certificates of successful completion.
Contact
For more information please contact us at raun-communications@ra-un.org.