Learn more about this course at this hyperlink.

An engaging online course organized by the UN Staff College (UNSSC) designed to equip participants with an understanding of why a focus on system interconnections is key for achieving sustainable development. The course explores concepts related to policy coherence and systems thinking, country examples, as well as specific tools and mechanisms.

Course contents

  • Week 1 provides an introduction to the vision and principles of the 2030 Agenda, as well as the framework of systems thinking. 

  • Week 2 discusses the political economy of sustainable development and introduces the concept and evolution of policy coherence for sustainable development, and elaborates upon vertical and horizontal coherence, as well as the different mechanisms that enhance policy coherence across the policy cycle. 

  • Week 3 discusses the importance of Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) in the context of Sustainable Development Goal 17 of the 2030 Agenda. It focuses on the different approaches towards understanding the concept of PCSD and the importance of policy coherence at national, regional, and international levels. 

  • Week 4 looks at the importance of partnerships and stakeholder engagement for PCSD, introducing tools and review mechanisms to assess integration of the 2030 Agenda at the national level. It examines the significance of tracking progress on policy coherence, through a systems thinking lens. 

  • Week 5 focuses on the synergies, trade-offs and strategic interventions for the future when applying systems thinking in order to foster policy coherence for sustainable development.

Target audience

UN staff from headquarters, country teams or regional offices, government representatives, development practitioners as well as members of civil society, the private sector, academia and foundations. 

Registration/enrollment

This course is free and self-paced. Course registration closes on 2 September 2022. 

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