In July 2001, the General Assembly approved the Statute of the United Nations System Staff College. On 1 January the College began its operations as a distinct institution within the United Nations system.

"The Staff College shall serve as a distinct, system-wide, knowledge management and learning institution… providing strategic leadership and management development…, strengthening inter-agency collaboration…, increasing operational effectiveness; enhancing cooperation with stakeholders inside and outside the UN system, and developing a more cohesive, system-wide, management culture." - UNSSC Statute.

The mission of the Staff College is to contribute to a more effective, results-oriented and agile United Nations through learning, training and knowledge dissemination.

With its Headquarters in Turin (Italy) and its second Campus in Bonn (Germany), the Staff College is a centre of excellence for training and knowledge management within the UN system. Each year, we offer learning initiatives that reach over 10,000 beneficiaries including residential courses, distance-learning, strategic exchanges and seminars. Our programmes range from leadership and management development, to the development of those sectoral and functional competences that are needed to effectively serve as an international civil servant. We also provide learning interventions to increase technical and substantive knowledge spanning the three pillars of the UN’s work: peace and security, human rights and development. Since 2015, all of the Staff College’s learning and training activities are geared towards enabling the UN system and its partners to address the challenges posed by the adoption of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.