University at Buffalo receives formal association with the United Nations Department of Global Communications

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. —  The University at Buffalo will gain global recognition and representation at the United Nations, and will be involved in advocacy efforts to help monitor and implement international agreements thanks to its new formal association with the UN Department of Global Communications.

At its Dec. 15 meeting, the United Nations Department of Global Communications Civil Society Association Committee approved the University at Buffalo for association with the Department of Global Communications, effective immediately.

“With the approval, we are joining a large family of organizations that support the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and are committed to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” says Dorothy Siaw-Asamoah, clinical professor of organization and human resources, faculty director of global programs and director of the Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness in the UB School of Management. “This is a tremendous opportunity to build the reputation of UB and the School of Management while making an impact on initiatives that align with UB’s position as SUNY’s flagship and support its ambition to become a top-25 public research institution.”

Siaw-Asamoah headed-up the university’s efforts to achieve the UN association. In her role as faculty director of global programs, she led School of Management Undergraduate Honors students to the inaugural Green Summit at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, in late 2022 and hosted a visit by UN Communications Officer Felipe Queipo as part of sustainability month in April, among many other initiatives.

Through the association, UB will have the opportunity to, among others:

• Help plan and participate in the United Nations Civil Society Conference
• Participate and contribute to the Thematic Civil Society Briefings
• Get access to materials, activities and events which promote the work of the United Nations
• Gain access to the Dag Hammarskjöld Library at UN Headquarters in New York
• Exchange ideas between generations, with opportunities for experienced civil society leaders to work with youth representatives.
• Share expertise with other civil society organizations in different fields of work and from diverse backgrounds, including other higher-education institutions.
• Have the opportunity to use the Civil Society Resource Centre at UN Headquarters in New York as a meeting space

“This designation reflects the mission of the School of Management to create positive change in the world, and aligns with our vision of a world of agile, transformational leaders who roll up their sleeves and change society for the better,” says Ananth Iyer, dean of the UB School of Management.