The University of Westminster has been endorsed as an Associate of the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN-DGC). The approval followed the UN-DGC Committee Meeting in May and was announced through a United Nations Press Release.
UN-DGC is a leading UN body working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthening civil society partnerships and youth engagement across the world.
This Association offers a range of opportunities for our students and the University to access United Nations training programmes, use UN platforms to publicise the University’s activities and gain exposure among the wider network of UN Associates. It also facilitates taking part in high-level UN events, convened by the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and other entities of the UN System. The Association also provides the Westminster community with access to UN events and official meetings at the UN’s New York Headquarters each year.
Dr Sahar Taghdisi Rad, Course Leader for the International Relations and Development BA course, who submitted the Association application to the UN on behalf of the University, highlights that “such partnerships offer unique learning and engagement opportunities to our students at the international level, while enhancing our University’s international reputation and reach.”
Professor Dibyesh Anand, the Head of School of Social Sciences, said: “Our School and University are committed to partnership with external organisations in order to promote Sustainable Development, to foster social justice, and to enhance equality, diversity and inclusion, and this Association helps us in all.”
UN-DGC is committed to contributing to its Associated organisations’ efforts in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in promoting human rights, and peace and security across the world. Through this Association, Westminster will be also able to share and publicise its activities on such issues during UN thematic briefings, capacity-building sessions and conferences.
This is the second partnership that has come to fruition between the University and the United Nations in 2022. Earlier this year, an institutional agreement was signed with the United Nations Migration Agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), providing our students with exclusive internship opportunities at IOM offices around the world. These partnerships are the culmination of two years of productive engagement with these institutions whereby representatives from the latter have visited Westminster and engaged with our students through seminars, workshops and fieldtrips.
Find out more about Global Westminster.
