SDG-aligned Budgeting

Massive Open Online Course

This self-paced course has been developed by UNITAR and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A number of countries have attempted to better link their budgeting with the SDGs and national planning overall, however, the progress is uneven.  As underscored in the recent UNDP guidance, any country regardless of its budgeting system can take a number of steps that can help align the allocation of public resources with the national SDG priorities. This set of measures has however to be adapted to the specific situation of the country. In addition, there is a broader need to enable Parliaments to play a more active role when it comes to fiscal oversight in connection with national priorities and SDGs as well as pro-actively influence budget formulation where national budgeting processes allow so.

This e-learning course aims to build the capacity of countries – representatives from Ministries of Finance, Economy and other Ministries that may be actively involved in the budgeting processes, members of Parliament working on finance/budgeting issues, Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI), academia and other stakeholders including staff of UN Country Teams and international organizations working on SDG financing frameworks to guide the cooperation framework with the national counterparts – through raising awareness on how to foster policy coherence by anchoring the SDGs in the national budgets;  strengthening their knowledge of possible approaches and tools on how to better align SDG budgeting, and strengthening the role of the Parliaments in this respect.

Detailed guidelines on specific areas - including SDGs and strategic budgeting, SDG budget coding and tagging, SDGs and subnational budgeting, and SDGs - transparency and accountability, are being developed and will be made part of future training courses on the above specific topics. 

Register here.

Develop and Implement Science, Technology and Innovation for SDGs Roadmaps – Level I

Massive Open Online Course

This self-paced MOOC has been developed by the Division of Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA/DSDG) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

To support the Member States, UNDESA/DSDG, has developed Guidebook and Operational Note on Implementing Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for SDGs Roadmaps at the Country Level. The purpose of the Operational Note published in December 2020 is to provide simple introductory and practical materials on STI4SDGs Roadmaps. It helps to operationalize the Guidebook of STI for SDG Roadmaps developed by the United Nations Inter-agency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (IATT) by enabling its systematic use through stronger capacities of countries and stakeholders to apply tools and processes.

This e-learning course has been developed based on this Operational Note and aims to strengthen the capacities of key national stakeholders in this area and help mobilize the global community to assist in that endeavor. It provides key concepts, reviewing the objectives, the roles of various stakeholders and proposing step-by-step guidance on how to develop an STI for SDGs Roadmap with some early lessons from the pilot countries. These are knowledge and skills that stakeholders need to strengthen to be able to effectively support the STI for SDG Roadmaps roll-out at the country level. The course will be linked to the 2030 Connect of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism.

The project is funded by the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund.

Register here.

Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement for the Implementation and Review of the 2030 Agenda

Massive Open Online Course 

This e-course is developed jointly by UNITAR and the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) of the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN - DESA). The main objective of this e-learning course is to enhance the knowledge and skills of government officers to put in place institutional arrangements, systems and processes to ensure the participation of key stakeholders in national SDG reviews. The course consists of three online modules and is complemented by webinars providing course participants with a unique opportunity to learn directly from government officials from the former Voluntary National Review (VNR) countries and UN Secretariat representatives. 

A new module focusing on “Leaving no one behind: Approaches, tools and best practices to promote meaningful engagement of all stakeholders in the implementation and follow up of the 2030 Agenda” has been introduced to the course.

Download the course flyer here: English and French.

Register here: English and French

UNDESA, UNITAR
UNDESA, UNITAR

Environmental SDG indicators

Massive Open Online Course

This e-learning course is a self-paced course with individual 10 modules developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). In September 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit adopted an international framework to guide development efforts, entitled 'Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda is built around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), divided into 169 targets, which are informed by 244 Indicators[1]. The importance of improving the availability of and access to data and statistics related to the environment was recognized through the adoption of a wide range of environmental SDG targets and indicators.

This course provides an overview of the importance of monitoring the environmental dimension of development, the linkage with existing statistical frameworks (FDES and SEEA), and how to use environment statistics in decision-making. The modules will also provide a brief overview of all 25 SDG indicators under UNEP custodianship.

The course is currently available in English, French and Russian.

Register for the course in English, French and Russian

Infrastructure Asset Management for Sustainable Development

Fernando Granados Franco

Massive Open Online Course

This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a self-paced course developed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University. The course is based on the UN publication “Managing Infrastructure Assets for Sustainable Development: A Handbook for Local and National Governments” – the result of a joint collaboration of UN DESA, UNCDF and UNOPS.

The Handbook includes inputs from renowned experts from regional development banks, local government associations, relevant UN system entities as well as think tanks and academia. The Handbook provides local and national governments with a set of practical tools to improve infrastructure asset management as well as guidance on how to adapt these tools to the socio-economic and environmental challenges of our time. 

Register here.

Introduction to data governance for monitoring the SDGs

UNITAR

Massive Open Online Course

The e-course aims to strengthen the knowledge and capacities of data producers and data users - from within and outside of Government – on selected issues related to official statistics, data governance, communities and partnerships, and data value chain needed to ensure effective monitoring for the SDGs. The e-course draws primarily on the outcomes of the consultations designed to inform the forthcoming edition of the Handbook of Statistical Organization.

The e-course provides a good introduction for anyone interested to learn more about the meaning and the value of official statistics and various types of data sources. It is also a good resource for members of National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and National Statistical Systems (NSSs), particularly, newcomers and all those who want to refresh their knowledge of the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics (UN-FPOS) and learn more about good practices in the area of the organization of national statistical systems and statistical planning.

Download the course flyer and register here.

Integrated Recovery Planning and Policy Coherence Towards the SDGs

Massive Open Online Course

This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was developed by the Division for Sustainable Development Goals and the Division of Public Institutions and Digital Governance of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The objective of the self-paced e-learning course is to strengthen the capacity of National Stakeholders to design, adapt and implement integrated and coherent plans and policies and improved decision making among national stakeholders (policy makers, senior planners, civil society, academics and private sector) involved in recovery planning (i.e., Covid-19) and rebuilding towards SDGs implementation. 

Register here.

Understanding data and statistics better – for more effective SDG decision making

Massive Open Online Course

This e-course aims to offer a double opportunity: i) to help improve the understanding of how better data can help design more effective public policies and ii) to brush up on your core data skills. The course covers aspects related to the interpretation, analysis, and presentation of data of direct relevance to the SDGs and more broadly national and sectoral policies aimed at ensuring sustainable and inclusive development. It introduces these topics using concrete examples of data use and public policy context from around the world. The course reviews both traditional and non-traditional data sources and discusses their uses, as well as the opportunities and challenges presented by the latter. It uses a combination of story-telling, examples, videos and hands-on exercises to tailor to a variety of learners.

The course is intended for public officials in charge of SDG policies, as well as data producers and anyone interested to learn more about the role of data in public policy design. National Statistical Offices may also find it a useful resource in their work aimed at strengthening data skills and data demand from their countries’ decision-makers from across line ministries as well as in their efforts to further the understanding of data producers from across the National Statistical System and beyond when it comes to data use and data demand.

Register here.

Microlearning videos on Data and Statistics

As part of improving the statistical literacy of the general public as well as raising awareness about the role of the National Statistical Office (NSO), several microlearning videos have been developed together with UNSD on data and statistics. They are:

  • National Superheroes Office – Episode 1: Where are the green hats? - it describes issues around trust in statistics and the role of the National Statistical Office in ensuring that data provided is of quality, reliable, confidential, and based on human rights among other key characteristics of official statistics.
  • National Superheroes office – Episode 2: Are the health data right? – it explains trust in statistics and the role of the National Statistical Office in ensuring that data provided is of quality, reliable, confidential, and based on human rights among other key characteristics of official statistics.
  • NSO Data Concierge – it focuses on data quality well as highlights the role of the National Statistics Office in ensuring it. The video is also available in French
  • Data Visualisation Contest - This microlearning video, developed by the UN Statistics Division, UNITAR and United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UNSIAP), addresses the importance of statistical literacy among the general public as well as the communication of data and statistics to a broad audience. The video is also available in French

On the importance of using official statistics, a microlearning video has been developed with the UN Statistics Division called "What are not official statistics?". The video is featured as part of the UNSD - UNITAR e-learning course "Introduction to data governance for monitoring the SDGs". 

With the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), another video entitled “Hidden Treasures Supermarket” was collaboratively developed on the human rights-based approach to date. It shows cases of the importance of this approach where everyone counts to implement Leave No One Behind in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As part of the e-learning course "Monitoring selected SDG indicators in Asia-Pacific SIDS', developed by UNITAR, UNSD, SPC, ESCAP, WHO, World Bank and IMF, several microlearning videos have been created:

  • Computation of SDG Indicator 8.10.2  - A video with Ms. Alison Culpin, Social Statistics Advisor, the Pacific Community (SPC), who explains the calculation method for SDG indicator 8.10.2.

  • Calculation method for SDG indicator 1.4.1 - A video with Ms. Alison Culpin, Social Statistics Advisor, the Pacific Community (SPC), who is explaining the significance and calculation method for SDG indicator 1.4.1.

  • Experiment and recommendations from Pacific Statistical Methods Board for HIES - A video with Mr. Michael Sharp, Economic Statistics and Microdata Specialist, Statistics for Development Division, the Pacific Community, explaining the experiment and the recommendations from the Pacific Statistical Methods Board for HIES.

  • Tonga’s methodology for multidimensional poverty measurement grounded in the consensual approach – Part 1 & Part 2 - A video with Viliami Fifita, Government Statistician, Tonga Department of Statistics, describing Tonga’s methodology for multidimensional poverty measurement grounded in the consensual approach.

  • Computation of the SDG indicators 3.4.1, 3.8.1, 3.c.1 and 6.3.1 - A video with Dr. Akeem Ali, Coordinator, Pacific Health Systems, World Health Organization (WHO) who explains the computation of the SDG indicators 3.4.1, 3.8.1, 3.c.1 and 6.3.1.

  • World Bank monetary poverty measurement - A video about the World Bank monetary poverty measurement by Ms. Kristen Himelein, Senior Economist and Statistician, the World Bank Group.

  • Computation of SDG indicators 17.1.1, 17.1.2 and 17.3.2 - A video with Mr. Marcus Scheiblecker, Real Sector Statistics Advisor, Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre of the International Monetary Fund (PFTAC-IMF), who explains the computation of SDG indicators 17.1.1., 17.1.2 and 17.3.2.

All microlearning videos are featured under the microlearning of UN SDG:Learn or click on the images below. 

Introduction to the 2030 Agenda: A New Agenda for a Sustainable World

Massive Open Online Course

This e-course on “Introduction to the 2030 Agenda: A New Agenda for a Sustainable World” is designed to improve general awareness about the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals for policy-makers and the general public, especially youth. Participants can follow the course at their own pace, and can earn a certificate provided if they have met the certification requirements.

The course is offered in English, French and Spanish. 

Download the course flyers in English, French and Spanish and register for English, French and Spanish versions.

CIFAL Jeju
CIFAL Jeju
CIFAL Jeju

Mainstreaming the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

E-tutorial

The e-tutorial provides in-depth and wide-ranging guidance on how to mainstream the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into each national strategy and policy. It is based on the UN Development Group’s (UNDG) Reference Guide "Mainstreaming the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development". Case studies introduce innovative examples of how some countries have begun to develop and use relevant tools, and activities offer an opportunity to gain a better understanding and useful skills. Although this training tool has been primarily designed for government officials and development practitioners, it is also publicly available.

It is available in English and Arabic. The Arabic version of the e-tutorial was translated and implemented by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

Download the  English flyer and Arabic flyer.

Register for the e-tutorial in English and Arabic.

UNITAR
UNITAR

Monitoring selected SDG indicators in Asia-Pacific SIDS

UNITAR

Massive Open Online Course

This e-course is intended primarily for the Asia-Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It aims to strengthen the capacities of these countries to organize national processes to monitor and inform the reporting on SDG indicators. It offers a range of examples from the region on selected topics to enable peer learning and good practice-sharing. It also provides a quick methodological overview of SDG indicators in selected areas such as poverty eradication, health, and finance with a view to enhancing the understanding of the way the indicators are compiled and related practices and challenges. Monetary versus non-monetary approaches to poverty with examples from the region are reviewed in more detail with video presentations by the World Bank and Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) experts, while health indicators are covered by WHO resource persons and finance-related – by partners from regional International Monetary Fund (IMF) arm and SPC.

While the e-course was designed primarily for data producers from members of NSOs and line Ministries, the content is accessible to other audiences, including decision-makers and other data users.  Partner agencies provide more detailed technical guidance for those interested in more in-depth coverage for the computation of specific indicators.

Download the course flyer. The course is closed.

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