About UNU-WIDER

The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research provides economic analysis and policy advice with the aim of promoting sustainable and equitable development for all.

The Institute began operations 40 years ago in Helsinki, Finland, as the first research centre of the United Nations University. Today it is a unique blend of think tank, research institute, and UN agency – providing a range of services from policy advice to governments as well as freely available original research.

Over the period 2024-27 UNU-WIDER research focuses on the interlinked development challenges of inequality between and within countries, building sustainable peace, and creating the fiscal space for development. Overcoming these three challenges is central to the achievement of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Learn more here

Our mission

• To undertake research and policy analysis on the most pressing concerns affecting the living conditions of the world’s poorest people.
• To provide a forum for knowledge sharing, discussion and debate between researchers and development professionals on how to achieve equitable, gender-balanced, and environmentally sustainable policies.
• To offer capacity development and training for researchers and decision makers in economics and social development 

The Institute is funded through an endowment fund with additional contributions from the European Union, Finland, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.