Annual Report 2023 - Knowledge broker

Knowledge broker

Complex problems require skilled leaders, and those leaders need to understand the challenging problems that are shaping our world. The Staff College bridges theory and real-world experience by providing learners contact with senior professionals, access to state-of-the- art knowledge and academic institutions along with tools and courses centred around real-world experiences faced by the UN and the broader public sector. At the same time, the Staff College harnesses its insights from working with professionals across the system and gives them back to the UN and beyond.

Empowering Leaders

Change Management

Peer Learning

Empowering UNOPS leaders to drive change and achieve the 2030 Agenda

A highly customized, interactive programme to empower country directors and managers with the knowledge and tools to lead with purpose

The vision of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a world where people can live full lives, supported by sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and by effective and transparent use of public resources in procurement and project management. Advancing this vision in the context of UN reform demands a transformative shift in mindset and organizational culture, strengthening the organization’s ability to put sustainable development at the core of its work and reposition itself as an influential partner within the UN system.

To spark this transformation, UNSSC developed a highly customized, interactive programme to empower UNOPS country directors and managers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to lead with purpose, meaningfully engage in reform processes, and support countries and partners to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. In 2023, the first cohort of 200 participants engaged in online training modules, live webinars, and online discussion forums, enhancing their capacity to strategically position UNOPS and catalyze its involvement in UN country programming aligned with the 2030 Agenda, UN development system repositioning, and the main instrument for joint programming: the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). By curating digital spaces for exchange, the Staff College has linked staff across various time zones and roles, convening dialogue on UNOPS' evolution and its potential to contribute significantly to achieving the 2030 Agenda. Participants were deeply engaged in these virtual forums, not only responding actively to UNSSC prompts but also offering new ways for internal discourse. They reflected on organizational and structural challenges, proposing potential solutions to advance innovation and transformative change within the organization. These discussions led to a deeper understanding of the organization’s role in achieving the 2030 Agenda. This evolution is supporting UNOPS as it steers towards a more adaptive, resilient future.

“The SDG Leadership Programme helped me get an encompassing image of the UN mandate and value proposition, of the various UN actors, and the unique positioning of UNOPS, that allows us to play a definitive role as agents of change and make a difference in the 2030 Agenda. It also fostered constructive interactions among ourselves, as well as with our speakers, supporting a better understanding of our particular environments and challenges.”

Marcia Elena Taiachin, Head of Support Services, UNOPS, Nicaragua Office

UNSSC leads groundbreaking study on change management practices in the UN system

Empowering change management practitioners with evidence-based knowledge for a forward-thinking and agile UN system culture

Transformation is an essential part of the Secretary-General's UN 2.0 vision, to be led by empowered individuals driving a forward-thinking and agile culture. However, change needs to be guided, managed, and sustained. Until recently, there was little data within the UN on how the practice of change management was structured, resourced, implemented, and monitored. The challenges faced by UN change management practitioners and the practices they implemented were isolated conversations between small circles of specialists. Collecting, analyzing, and publishing knowledge about how UN system organizations support UN reform and transformation is part of UNSSC's mission, articulated through the UN Laboratory for Organizational Change and Knowledge (UNLOCK). With generous support from the Federal Republic of Germany, last year the Staff College embarked on the first-ever data collection and analysis to capture the state of change management in the UN system. Survey results bridge information gaps by providing comprehensive insights into change management practice from over 120 practitioners across 37 organizations. Results demonstrate the need for systematic applications of change management strategies, methods and tools. They also shed light on the challenges of change management within the UN and suggest possible solutions.

The State of Change Management in the UN system empowers practitioners with evidence-based knowledge and enables them to learn from each other's experiences and adopt best practices. Senior UN leaders can draw inspiration to enhance their change management approaches. The survey provides a reference point for tracking change and change management trends across UN organizations over time. UNSSC plans to repeat the data collection and analysis every two years.

Peer learning as a tool to broker knowledge, foster collaboration, communication and teamwork

Utilizing a peer learning methodology to unite differing perspectives, skills, experiences, and collaborative processes

The UN acknowledges the importance of collective action across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding as well as governance agendas for Somalia's progress in state-building and reconciliation.
Peer learning is a powerful approach that fosters collaboration, communication, and teamwork which is important for bringing together the expertise of different stakeholders. UNSSC utilizes this learning methodology to bridge diverse perspectives, skills, experiences, and collaborative processes.

The UNSSC Peer Learning Programme on Conflict Mapping, Conflict Analysis, and Planning for Peacebuilding (PLP) is part of the UNDP Somalia State-Building and Reconciliation Support Programme. It aims to enhance the 'Somalia Conflict Navigator', a tool which visualizes the data collected as part of larger conflict mapping efforts. The data on different conflicts across federal member states can inform conflict prevention and reconciliation efforts across levels of government and the international community.

In 2023, UNSSC led the capacity-building efforts, in close collaboration with UNDP and the Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation. This approach not only fostered knowledge exchange but also drove collaborative action in Somalia's state building efforts. UNSSC's contributions include contextualizing global experiences, providing relevant tools, and facilitating knowledge transfer to local actors, empowering those who are on the ground.

“I am particularly impressed by the proactive approach of the team and their unwavering commitment to bolstering our state building and reconciliation endeavors. Notably, the action planning workshop conducted in Baidoa, where we collaborated to assist our colleagues in South-West State, exemplified the efficacy and dedication of the partnership.”

Mustaf Abdullahi, Director General, Ministry of Interior, Local Government and Reconciliation, Somalia