Academic Council of the United Nations System
The Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) is currently based at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations[1] at Coventry University. Its purpose is to stimulate and support research and teaching on the role of the United Nations system in international relations. ACUNS was founded in 1987 at Dartmouth College and has since been hosted at Brown University, Yale University, and Wilfrid Laurier University where it remained for 15 years before its transition to Coventry, England in 2018.[2] ACUNS currently has around 450 individual and 30 institutional members in 55 countries and continues to keep scholars and practitioners engaged in research, writing, teaching, and policy practice related to the United Nations, the UN system, and international organization from a broader perspective.
Abbreviation | ACUNS |
---|---|
Formation | June, 1987 |
Legal status | Active |
Headquarters | Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University, Coventry, England |
Website | acuns.org |
UN status
ACUNS holds General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), Associate Status with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and observer status to United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). It is possible for council members to be registered to attend meetings organized by UN specialized agencies, the UN Secretariat, and other UN bodies. ACUNS currently has over 650 individual and 42 institutional members in 55 countries.
Operations
- The ACUNS Annual Meeting draws approximately 300 scholars and practitioners each year for plenary sessions and workshop panels on a wide range of topics. Previous Meetings have been held in Brazil, Canada, Italy, Republic of Korea, South Africa,Trinidad, Turkey, United States of America, and as a global online event.
- The annual ACUNS Workshop brings practitioners into conversation with junior academics on key aspects of international organization. The program draws together some 20 participants each year.
- The annual John W. Holmes Memorial Lecture[3], delivered during the ACUNS Annual Meeting[4] and subsequently published in Global Governance
- Research projects and publications, and a widely disseminated E-Update featuring special podcast series covering Current Issues, Professional Development, and a Book Talk series.
- The ACUNS Dissertation Award[5]
- The ACUNS Series on the UN System[6], published by Edward Elgar Publishers
Publications
- Global Governance Journal is an interdisciplinary journal with a global focus and is published quarterly by Brill[7] in association with ACUNS. The journal is currently hosted by Brigham Young University for a five-year term (2018–2023). ACUNS publishes a quarterly newsletter as well as online, peer-reviewed, Book Reviews on books relating to the study of the United Nations, international organization(s) and related topics in global governance.
Headquarters
In July 2018 the ACUNS Secretariat transitioned to the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, England. This is the first time in its history that the ACUNS Secretariat has been hosted in Europe.
The ACUNS Secretariat consists of:
- Professor Math Noortmann (Executive Director)
- Dr. Gwenith Cross (Secretariat Manager)
- Graduate student interns and Book Review Editor
Board of directors
ACUNS is governed by an international Board of Directors. Current Board Members (2018–2019) are:
- Roger Coate (Chair) - Professor, Georgia College; Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of South Carolina
- Lise Morjé Howard Chair Elect) - Professor of Government, Georgetown University
- Gabriel Amvane (Vice Chair)- Legal Officer, Horizon Amitié
- Franz Baumann - Professor, New York University
- Cecilia Cannon - Researcher / Academic Adviser UN75 initiative, Graduate Institute of International & Development Studies
- Sarmad Khan - Senior Advisor, United Nations
- Ai Kihara-Hunt - Associate Professor, University of Tokyo
- Charlotte Ku (Vice Chair) - Professor of Law, Texas A&M University School of Law
- Richard Ponzio - Director, Just Security 2020 Program
- Heung-Soon Park - Professor SunMoon University
- Mónica Serrano - Research-Professor,El Colegio de México
Liaison offices
ACUNS currently has four Liaison Offices in Geneva, New York, Tokyo and Vienna.
References
- "Centre for Trust Peace and Social Relations". www.coventry.ac.uk.
- "History of ACUNS". ACUNS.
- "Category: John Holmes Memorial Lecture Series". ACUNS.
- "Category: Annual Meeting". ACUNS.
- "Category: Dissertation Award". ACUNS.
- "The ACUNS Series on the UN System - Politics and Public Policy - Book Series". Edward Elgar Publishing.
- "Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations". brill.