Statute of the United Nations System Staff College in Turin, Italy

A/RES/55/278View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 97 Training and research, published in 2001.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

International Civil Service Knowledge Management Organizational Structure Report Preparation Training Programmes Universities and Colleges

What’s in this document?

47 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms the role of the United Nations System Staff College as an institution for system-wide knowledge management, training and continuous learning for the staff of the United Nations system, in particular in the areas of economic and social development, peace and security and internal management;

Welcomes the consultations, held in the framework of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, on the functions, governance and funding of the Staff College aimed, inter alia, at making the new College an innovative instrument to enhance cooperation and coherence throughout the United Nations system, including in system-wide coordination to assist with the implementation of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, as requested in resolution 55/162 of 14 December 2000;

Approves the statute of the Staff College, as contained in the annex to the present resolution;

Requests all relevant bodies to expedite those administrative, organizational and logistic arrangements needed to ensure a smooth start of operations of the Staff College as from 1 January 2002;

Invites the Secretariat to keep the General Assembly informed of the implementation of the present resolution, inter alia, of the activities of the Staff College, its funding situation and its planned work programme, including through informal briefings;

Decides that the first biennial report on the work, activities and accomplishments of the Staff College, including on collaboration with other relevant United Nations institutions, should be submitted to the General Assembly for its consideration at its fifty-eighth session.

Article IEstablishment

The General Assembly of the United Nations, by adopting the present statute, establishes the United Nations System Staff College as from 1 January 2002 as an institution for system-wide knowledge management, training and continuous learning for the staff of the United Nations system, aimed in particular at the areas of economic and social development, peace and security and internal management of the United Nations system.

Article IIObjectives

The Staff College shall serve as a distinct system-wide knowledge-management and learning institution, with a view to fostering a cohesive management culture across the United Nations system. It shall provide strategic leadership and management development for international civil servants with a view to strengthening collaboration within the system in areas of common organizational responsibility; increasing operational effectiveness; enhancing cooperation with States Members and observers of the United Nations, the specialized agencies, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society; and developing a more cohesive system-wide management culture.

The Staff College shall carry out its activities on the basis of the needs expressed by the agencies of the United Nations system and in close cooperation with training and learning institutes and similar bodies within the United Nations system. It may also collaborate with relevant entities outside the system.

Article IIILocation

The Staff College shall be located in Turin, Italy.

Article IVGovernance

The Staff College shall have a Board of Governors composed of representatives of the member organizations of the Administrative Committee on Coordination. The Director of the Staff College shall participate as an ex officio member in the work of the Board and shall arrange for secretarial support for the Board.

The Board shall meet at least once a year and shall adopt its own rules of procedure, which shall be consistent with the provisions of the present statute.

The Board shall be responsible for:

Formulating general policy for the activities of the Staff College;

Considering the work programme and budget, on the basis of proposals submitted by the Director, and making recommendations thereon to the Administrative Committee on Coordination;

Considering ways and means of enhancing the financial resources of the Staff College with a view to ensuring the effectiveness and continuity of its operations;

Evaluating the activities of the Staff College and their impact and reporting thereon to the Administrative Committee on Coordination;

Submitting an annual report to the Administrative Committee on Coordination.

The Board shall establish an expert technical review panel to advise on the development of the activities of the Staff College, to review its performance and to report thereon to the Board. The technical review panel shall be composed of expert staff of the common system organizations who shall be selected by the Board.

The Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, shall submit a biennial report to the General Assembly on the activities of the Staff College.

Article VDirector and staff

The Director of the Staff College shall be appointed by the Secretary-General after consultation with the Administrative Committee on Coordination in the light of criteria recommended by the Board.

The Director shall be responsible for the management of the Staff College and accountable for its results in accordance with directives issued by the Board. The Director shall in consultation, as appropriate, with the technical review panel, inter alia:

Submit the work programme and budget of the Staff College to the Board for its consideration;

Oversee the execution of the work programme and budget of the Staff College;

Submit to the Board annual and ad hoc reports on the activities of the Staff College and the execution of its work programme;

Manage the staff of the Staff College in accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and the terms of the present statute;

Coordinate the work of the Staff College with that of related organs of the United Nations system and of relevant institutions outside the system;

Negotiate such arrangements, including those with Governments, as may be appropriate with a view to offering and receiving services related to the activities of the Staff College;

Seek appropriate funding for the implementation of the work programme of the Staff College;

Accept, subject to the provisions of article VII below, voluntary contributions to the Staff College.

The staff of the Staff College shall be appointed by the Director on behalf of the Secretary-General, under letters of appointment signed by him or her, and limited to service with the College. The staff shall be responsible to the Director in the exercise of their functions.

The terms and conditions of service of the Director and the staff shall be those provided for in the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, subject to such administrative arrangements as are approved by the Secretary-General in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination.

The Director and the staff of the Staff College shall be officials of the United Nations within the meaning of Article 105 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article VIAssociate collaborators and consultants

The Director may designate a limited number of well-qualified persons to serve as associate collaborators of the Staff College. Associate collaborators shall be permitted to pursue their work at the College and shall be expected to provide advice and assistance in matters related to the work programme of the College.

Associate collaborators shall be designated for a fixed period in accordance with their qualifications and with the criteria and procedures established by the Director and approved by the Board. Associate collaborators shall be neither staff members of the Staff College nor consultants or officials of the United Nations.

The Director may arrange for the services of consultants for special assignments in connection with the work programme of the Staff College.

Article VIIFinance

The Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, as well as the financial procedures of the United Nations, shall apply to the financial operations of the Staff College.

The Staff College shall have a biennial budget approved by the Administrative Committee on Coordination. A core portion of this budget shall be met by the members of the Committee in accordance with the cost-sharing formula decided upon by it.

The Staff College may also receive voluntary contributions from Governments, intergovernmental organizations and foundations and other non-governmental sources.

The Director may accept contributions on behalf of the Staff College, provided that no contribution for a specific purpose is accepted if the purpose is inconsistent with the purposes and policies of the College and the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations. Contributions that may directly or indirectly involve an immediate or ultimate financial liability for the College may be accepted only with the approval of the Board, after consultation with the Controller of the United Nations.

The Staff College shall organize courses and other activities related to its mandates on a fee basis.

The Director of the Staff College shall prepare budgets on a biennial basis. The budget shall show separately the core portion of the budget and projected income and expenditures in respect of voluntary contributions. The Director shall submit the proposed budget to the Board at least six weeks before the session of the Board at which it is to be considered.

The Board shall consider the proposed budget and make recommendations thereon to the Administrative Committee on Coordination. The budget, as approved by the Committee, shall be forwarded to the participating agencies. The United Nations shall bill the agencies for their share of the core budget.

The funds of the Staff College shall be kept in a separate account to be established by the Secretary-General in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations.

The funds of the Staff College shall be administered solely for the purposes of the College. The United Nations shall perform all necessary financial and accounting functions for the College, including acting as custodian of its funds, and shall prepare and certify its biennial accounts.

The Director may enter into commitments only if the total amount of such commitments does not exceed the core portion of the budget and the amount of voluntary contributions received.

The Staff College shall be subject to audit by the United Nations Board of Auditors in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations.

Article VIIIAdministrative support

The United Nations shall provide the Staff College with appropriate administrative support. The College shall reimburse such support at a level that shall be determined from time to time in consultations between the United Nations and the Board.

Article IXStatus and authority

The Staff College, as part of the United Nations, shall enjoy the status, privileges and immunities provided for in Articles 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations³ and other international agreements and United Nations resolutions relating to the status, privileges and immunities of the Organization.

³Resolution 22 A (I).

The Staff College may, under the authority of the Director, enter into contracts with organizations, institutions or firms for the purpose of carrying out its programmes. The College may acquire and dispose of real and personal property and may take other legal action necessary for the performance of its functions.

Article XAmendments

Amendments to the present statute may be made by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Administrative Committee on Coordination.

Annex Statute of the United Nations System Staff College