Page 10 - DIVA_3_2007_No.30

We call them "bene- double that number of
ficiaries" because requests. A lot of people do
they do not like to not receive the training that
consider themselves they want because we do
have
sufficient
as "students". The not
majority of our bene- resources. We function only
ficiaries are already on voluntary contributions.
in well-established Our next task is to convince
jobs. For instance, the donors that this is a good
we train 3,500 investment.
diplomats a year (and
I do not think you Q: You are knocking on
could call them stu- the doors of donors,
dents)! These are academia and who
something to gain from such thinking of? short-term courses else?
an association. that do not lead to degrees.
3. They will also gain With regard to partnerships Some courses, however, There are three types of
influence and knowledge in with major institutions and constitute credits for deg- partnerships, as I like to
definite it:
as
areas where at present they universities, I think we are rees
do not have any contacts. aiming at thirty to forty. awarded by some universi- 1 .partnerships with donors
Major universities may be ties. Right now we are to mobilize resources;
big in their own countries, Q: Will this be only working on two masters in 2.partnership with affiliated
but what do they know major Western univer- collaboration with the institutions to extend our
about, for instance, Burkina sities? University of Geneva -- network and our offers;
Faso? What do they know Information technology and 3.and partnerships with
about Peru? We know! We Absolutely not! We will languages and Environ- academic institutions for
have something to offer, and ensure that it's plural and mental governance. These certification.
since we are not asking for that there are major univer- are examples where we are We need these different
any money sities from the South. collaborating on the content levels to be able to create a
and also associating new UNITAR.
We ask two things of them: Q: How many people ourselves with the activity.
1. To put their logo next to are following UNITAR Q: How long before this
ours on the certificates. training courses at any I think UNITAR is going to "new" UNITAR will be in
Evidently, they will have to time? rise quite significantly in place?
feel comfortable with the terms of visibility because
quality of what we are At the moment, we are at until now most of the We submitted the new
doing. That is precisely the the 40,000 mark: each year training and activities that reform plan to our board in
reason why we are 10,000 people attend resi- the institution has been July 2007 and they
associating ourselves with dential courses and 30,000 doing did not receive the welcomed it warmly. We are
them. are online or following cor- level of recognition that now implementing it full
2. We want them to verify respondence training. Our they deserved as there was scale. We have already done
the quality of our content. aim is to double that. no clear certification some things that basically
I think it's a good partners- system. Now that this issue depended upon the Director,
hip because it is an interes- Q: Over what period of is clarified by our Board -- but were endorsed by the
From
my
ting of way of involving time? and it is going to be very Board.
consultations so far, it is
bench
them. UNITAR is much systematically
more flexible that other We have not benchmarked -marked -- it is possible to going to be a relatively
parts of the UN, so they will this ambition, because we have higher visibility and peaceful process.
not be faced with a jungle of do not get any money from everything certified. Not by
bureaucratic red tape. They the UN regular budget. us alone, but by associations We have given ourselves
will be dealing with an insti- However, I'm convinced by others. between August and
tution that is very sensitive that we can get there in a December 2007 to
to academic and training period of four years. Q: Are you expecting a implement a number of
aspects and has reduced it huge demand from the transformations to our
bureaucracy to the bare Q: What kind of degree diplomatic community? structure. So the "internal"
part of the transformation
minimum. do your students recei-
ve? What is the level? The demand is already will take part then. In 2008
Is it some kind of huge. I told you that we train we start the new system
Q: How many masters? about 40,000 people a year, with our long- and medium-
universities are you but I think we receive term plans. Our medium-

8 3 2007 Diva

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