Change & Transformation | UNSSC | United Nations System Staff College

We help UN teams change how they actually work, not just how they talk about change.

Through learning, knowledge and advisory support, we work with UN entities on organizational transformation and day-to-day change management. We focus on the real system: how decisions are made, how teams collaborate, and how structures, incentives and workflows enable or block impact.

Our learning offers give UN personnel space to work on real challenges, test new approaches and build practical skills in leading change, using behavioural insights, and working with innovation, data and digital tools. They leave with concrete prototypes, decisions and next steps.

Our knowledge work captures and shares what is already working across the system – cases, tools and lessons from UN reforms and initiatives – so that teams do not have to start from scratch each time.

Our advisory services support leaders and teams as they design and implement change: clarifying direction, co-creating change strategies, facilitating key conversations, and coaching teams as they experiment and adjust.

Strengthening teams for deeper impact

We help UN teams redesign how they work so decisions and collaboration support stronger, more sustainable impact on the ground

Safe spaces for real change

We create learning spaces where UN personnel practice new skills, experiment safely, and tackle real organizational challenges

Driving transformation through community

We convene over 200 change and transformation experts from across the UN. This community is reshaping how internal change occurs by sharing best practices and knowledge

What we cover

This focus area spans ten interconnected themes. Click on a theme to explore courses and tailored learning solutions.

Administration and Operational Excellence

Change and Transformation

Coaching and Assessments

Data and Evaluation

Digital and AI

Team Building

Example of our works

Empowering change across the UN system

The UN Lab for Organizational Change and Knowledge (UNLOCK) equips UN leaders, managers and practitioners with the capabilities, insights and networks needed to navigate complex organizational change with confidence and impact

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The UN Innovation Toolkit

The UN Innovation Toolkit is a knowledge-sharing digital platform, made by the UN for the UN, freely accessible, and which provides actionable guidance on how to foster, scale and accelerate innovation

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Wilfried Rouamba

Youth & Gender Specialist, UNFPA WCARO – SWEDD+ Programme, UNFPA

This programme has been a transformative experience [...] I’ve applied these insights to position Sahel Women’s Empowerment and the Demographic Dividend (SWEDD+) as a blended finance and innovation platform, connecting governments, development banks, and private sector partners to invest in women and youth empowerment across West and Central Africa [...]

Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

We came to UNSSC seeking assistance on a number of fronts to strengthen the CMS team and address some complex challenges and dynamics at the individual and team levels. UNSSC brought an unmatched level of expertise coupled with an openness to tailor the approach to the needs of the CMS team. [...] The engagement of UNSSC made all the difference in the work of the CMS Secretariat, allowing it to perform at the highest level possible at the COP, all the while nurturing a supportive team environment that will continue to grow.

Josh Dotse

Senior Programmes, Partnerships and Climate Change Officer, HATOF Foundation, Ghana

My experience at the UN Summer Academy has been extremely insightful. I couldn't agree more with the thought-provoking and diverse perspectives from the participants. As a young person, the capacities I have built and the knowledge I have gained will be helpful in my activism and commitment to climate action. The UN Summer Academy made me commit to 'leaving no one behind' in the race to a sustainable future.