Study and Training Abroad in the United Nations System

The United Nations and its Specialized and Associated Agencies have, since their foundation, provided fellowships, study tours, training courses, and workshops to enable specialists from their member states to obtain further training and to exchange experience on problems of mutual interest. Such programs have played a major role in the work of the United Nations system in the developing countries. The present article describes the main features of these programs over the past three decades, some of the problems they have faced, and how they have developed in response to changing perspectives and needs of the mem ber states of the organizations. Some notable develop ments in these programs during the past five years are discussed, for example, the increased contribution of inter national, regional, and national training institutes in the organization of training programs and their researches on program content and methodology; new departures in the field of evaluation; the co-ordination of international train ing programs situated in the developing countries and the potential role of technical co-operation among the develop ing countries.