Council of the University for Peace

Under the Charter of the University for Peace, the Council is the institution’s governing body and comprises 17 members:

• 10 members appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in consultation with the Director-General of UNESCO.
• 7 ex officio members: the Chancellor of the University, the Rector of UPEACE, two representatives designated by the Government of Costa Rica, a representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, a representative of the Director-General of UNESCO, and the Rector of the United Nations University (UNU).

The composition of the UPEACE Council is undergoing a transition. The University’s Charter provides that ten of its members are appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in consultation with the Director-General of UNESCO, and that the Government of Costa Rica, the Secretary-General and the Director-General of UNESCO also designate their respective representatives.

Since 2019, the United Nations Secretariat and the Government of Costa Rica, as the host country, have maintained a dialogue to update this appointment mechanism to reflect the full academic, financial and administrative autonomy that the University has achieved.

In January 2026, Costa Rica submitted a roadmap that includes transitional measures to ensure the continuity of the Council, followed by an amendment to the Charter. That proposal is currently undergoing validation by the relevant bodies within the Secretariat. Pending the completion of this process, several appointments remain outstanding.

At present, the three ex officio members are serving: the Chancellor of the University, the Rector of UPEACE and the Rector of the United Nations University.

For specific questions, please email the Secretary of the Council at seccouncil@upeace.org.