Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) issued the 2025 Results Report. The report highlights the progress, partnerships and impact achieved throughout the year.
Amid rising expectations for a more agile and impactful United Nations, UNITAR continued to strengthen capacities across Member States and among diverse stakeholders worldwide while advancing important institutional milestones, including the adoption of UNITAR's new four-year Strategic Framework.
Anchored around 4 strategic objectives: empowering individuals; strengthening institutions; building learning ecosystems; and supporting the United Nations system, the framework reaffirms UNITAR's role as the dedicated training and capacity development arm of the United Nations and positions the Institute to expand integrated learning solutions and contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Pact for the Future. The programme highlights presented in the Report are under the 2026-2029 strategic objectives, reflecting the transition to a new Strategic Framework
Bringing Training Closer to Beneficiaries
In 2025, UNITAR delivered a total of 1,394 events, of which 899 were learning events with learning objectives. Almost half (49 per cent) of these learning events were conducted through face-to-face or residential formats. Seventy-nine (79) per cent of face-to-face events were delivered in the field, outside of Geneva where UNITAR maintains its headquarters, or at its project office locations in Bonn or Hiroshima or at its representational office in New York.
The Institute delivered training, research and capacity development projects in 105 countries, with many projects having a global or regional focus.
Learning That Delivers Results
The 2025 report highlights not only expanded outreach, but also strong evidence of impact and relevance.
Among surveyed participants:
- 87 per cent confirmed that the training was directly relevant to their work;
- 82 per cent reported that the information provided was new to them;
- 91 per cent expressed their intention to apply the knowledge and skills gained; and
- 91 per cent found the training useful overall.
Importantly, 77 per cent of respondents reported that they had already successfully transferred or applied the knowledge and skills acquired through the learning experience.
A total of 142,893 learners received certificates of participation or completion in 2025, reflecting sustained engagement and commitment to professional development across sectors and regions.
Partnerships at the Core
Collaboration remained a defining feature of UNITAR's work throughout the year. Of the 371,703 learners trained in 2025, 94 per cent participated in events organized in partnership with other institutions.
This strong partnership model enabled the Institute to extend its reach, diversify expertise and respond more effectively to emerging priorities in a rapidly changing global context.
Programme Highlights
The programme highlights presented in the Report are under the 2026-2029 strategic objectives approved in November 2025, reflecting the transition to a new Strategic Framework that will guide the Institute's programming over the next four years. Under each strategic objective, UNITAR strengthened individual and institutional capacities, supported evidence-based decision-making and enabled stakeholders to apply knowledge in real-world contexts.
Across regions and thematic areas, these initiatives contributed to more inclusive, effective and accountable systems, advancing the SDGs and reinforcing the UN system's impact on the ground.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Results Report comes at a pivotal moment for the international community. Across the globe, institutions are navigating increasingly complex challenges while facing financial constraints and growing expectations to deliver tangible impact.
Against this backdrop, the results of 2025 reaffirm the importance of investing in knowledge, capacity development and partnerships as essential drivers of sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.
Looking ahead, UNITAR remains committed to strengthening our partnerships, innovating in our delivery approaches, and contributing to a more effective and responsive multilateral system that leaves no one behind.
