The United Nations University (UNU) is an international community of scholars engaged in policy-oriented research, capacity development and dissemination of knowledge, furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. UNU’s mission is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.
For the past four decades, United Nations University (UNU) has been a go-to think tank for impartial research on human survival, conflict prevention, sustainable development and welfare. With more than 400 researchers in 12 countries, UNU’s work spans the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU maintains more than 200 collaborations with UN agencies and leading universities and research institutions across the globe.
The United Nations University Institute for Artificial Intelligence (UNU-AI) will be the newest of 14 research and training Institutes of the UNU system. UNU-AI will be formally established in 2024 with the mission to advance global research, development, capacity, and policy in the domains of artificial intelligence. UNU-AI aims to partner with the UN system, serve as a platform where multidisciplinary and multisector stakeholders can use, be trained to use, and be equipped to integrate insights generated by advanced artificial intelligence and computational infrastructure to enhance human welfare, strengthen peace and security, and protect and preserve the planet’s natural habitat. The Institute will build sustainable partnerships with other UNU institutes and United Nations entities and drawing on local, regional, and global partners to deliver data-driven insights and catalyse innovation that can contribute to the achievement of the goal and purposes of the United Nations. Central to the Institute’s work will be to develop and enable sustained North-South and South-South research collaboration and engagement with institutions and researchers in the Global South to ensure that the Institute genuinely addresses the diverse needs and aspirations of nations and peoples worldwide.
For more information about the background to the establishment of the UNU-AI please visit: New UNU Institute in Italy Will Drive Global Collaboration in Big Data and Artificial Intelligence | United Nations University
The Director reports to the Rector of the United Nations University. As the chief academic and administrative officer of UNU-AI, the Director has overall responsibility for the direction, organization, administration and programmes of UNU-AI.
The preferred candidate should have a distinguished scientific profile of research and policy engagement in artificial intelligence, data, computing technology, AI applications and transformative technology, with strong relevant networks sufficient to support UNU-AI with the necessary prestige and credibility in the communities of international scholarship, AI and data research, policy, and practice.
The Director will develop and manage national and international partnerships and negotiations, and oversee the administrative, infrastructural, financial and data privacy, security and governance operations, and management of UNU-AI. The Director will also be expected to take the lead in drafting and executing the Institute’s first strategy within the broader context of UNU’s Strategy (2025-2029).
The Director will ensure that UNU-AI contributes to important policy debates within the UN and with Member States based on a critical understanding of the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and the outcomes of the Institute’s future research programme. The Director is responsible for guaranteeing scientific excellence through internal quality control and providing strategic visioning and guidance for the impact of UNU-AI in artificial intelligence policy domains.
UNU is looking for a dynamic individual with an entrepreneurial mind-set as the inaugural director to lead this new institute; someone with a strong academic and management background who can recruit, lead, inspire and manage a diverse team of experts; build strategic partnerships with think tanks, universities, the private sector, and other parts of the UN system; and produce world-class, policy-relevant analyses, convene critical dialogues and support capacity strengthening, particularly in the Global South, to contribute to the resolution of global challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
1. Leadership and strategic management
2. Resource mobilisation
3. Research programme implementation and oversight
4. Represent UNU-AI and establish strategic partnerships
5. Knowledge sharing and collaboration
6. Perform other duties in support of the Institute and UNU system, as requested by the Rector
Values:
Behaviours:
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