FAO and Italy's Unitelma University join forces to promote innovation, international cooperation and capacity development

The new partnership includes academic programmes focusing on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals

(Left to right) Rector of the University Unitelma prof. Antonello Folco Biagini, Roberto Ridolfi, FAO Assistant Director General - Programme Support.

©Photo: ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano

07/02/2019

7 February 2019, Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Italy's Unitelma University have agreed to work together to develop academic programmes in the areas of innovation and international cooperation to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

The agreement was signed today by Roberto Ridolfi, FAO Assistant Director General - Programme Support, and the Rector of the University Unitelma, Antonello Folco Biagini. 

Within the context of this agreement, two joint comprehensive Master's Degree programmes entitled: "Sustainable Development Goals in the Digital Society" and "International Cooperation, Finance and Development" are being developed, integrating relevant FAO e-learning courses, offered free of charge  as a global public good, through the FAO e-learning Center: www.fao.org/elearning

"The two newly-created FAO/Unitelma Master's programmes, have the objective to promote international and multilateral cooperation and dialogue. The aim is to help find possible solutions to global challenges and to promote SDG compliance, as a powerful tool to mainstream sustainability," said Ridolfi during the signing ceremony.  

The Rector of Unitelma University underlined that "this partnership between Unitelma University and FAO will contribute to enrich the Masters Programmes and Specialized courses offered in English, to develop the capacities of students throughout the world".

"Alliances with academic institutions and universities are crucial to sensitize and develop the capacities of tomorrow's professionals, in order to empower and enable them to find sustainable solutions to global challenges, within the framework of the SDGs," said Cristina Petracchi, Head of the FAO's E-learning Center, during the signing ceremony. "The integration of FAO's e-learning courses in the joint Master's programmes will offer many people around the world, including those in remote arears, the opportunity to access knowledge, and thus ensure large-scale dissemination and impact," she added.

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