You can now count AUA as a member of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI). By being accepted into this organization, we join universities and colleges around the world that are furthering the goals and principles of the UN through activities and research and by fostering a shared culture of intellectual responsibility. UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon created the UNAI in 2010. It partners institutions of higher education with the UN and, as a condition of membership, requires them to hold initiatives that support UNAI’s ten foundational commitments to:

  1. The principles and values inherent in the United Nations Charter
  2. Human rights, among them freedom of inquiry, opinion, and speech
  3. Educational opportunity for all people regardless of gender, race, religion or ethnicity
  4. Providing the opportunity for every interested individual to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the pursuit of higher education
  5. Building capacity in higher education systems across the world
  6. Encouraging global citizenship through education
  7. Advancing peace and conflict resolution through education
  8. Addressing issues of poverty through education
  9. Promoting sustainability through education
  10. Fostering inter-cultural dialogue and understanding and the “unlearning” of intolerance through education.

Member activities are often coordinated around UN holidays: a smoking cessation campaign in observance of World Cancer Day (February 4), a campus blood drive on World Blood Donor Day (June 14th), panel discussions for World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (May 21st).

For more information, visit the UNAI web site: academicimpact.un.org