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International Anti-Corruption Academy – Inaugural Conference

More than 1,000 participants from over 120 UN Member States, 25 organizations and institutions from the private and public sector, civil society and academia attended the International Anti-Corruption Academy’s (IACA) Inaugural Conference.

Entitled, "From Vision to Reality: A New and Holistic Approach to Fighting Corruption", it was held from 2 to 3 September 2010 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. The Inaugural Conference is proof that a vision can become a reality. In his addressing speech, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the audience that the establishment of the Academy represents a "milestone” in global efforts to combat corruption. He further noted that attitudes towards this menace are changing and intolerance of it growing. Mr. Ban’s presence at the Conference renews the commitment of the United Nations to the anti-corruption agenda and to transparency.

The Academy is proud to announce that 35 UN Member States and the European Public Law Organization signed the Agreement for the Establishment of IACA as an International Organization and highlighted their strong commitment to join forces in the fight against corruption. The first round for signatures will be open until 31 December 2010; these signatories will be considered Founding Members of IACA.

IACA – a joint initiative by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Republic of Austria, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and other stakeholders – is a pioneering institution that aims to overcome current shortcomings in knowledge and practice in the field of anti-corruption. In pursuing this aim, the Academy will function as an independent centre of excellence in the fields of anti-corruption education, training, networking and cooperation, as well as academic research. It will take a holistic and inter-disciplinary, inter-regional, inter-cultural and inter-sectorial approach. The Academy – its headquarters located in Laxenburg, 15km south of Vienna, Austria – offered its first training and research activities in a state-of-the-art building at the beginning of September 2010. Its full programme, including academic degree courses, will commence in 2011. Regional branches will follow in due course.

The curricula, which will embrace diverse cultural traditions and focus on country- or client-specific requirements, will be flexible enough for participants and students to balance their careers and studies. The Academy will cover a vast spectrum of lectures, seminars, specific events, conferences and other training activities, including (academic) degree programmes, and will offer a broad range of tailor-made courses. In doing so, the Academy will also provide distance-learning and web-based tools.

The Academy’s services will be fivefold:

• Standardized trainings and research
• Tailor-made trainings and research
• Interdisciplinary academic degree programmes
• Platform for dialogue and networking activities
• Anti-corruption think tank and benchmarking activities

For more information on IACA, visit www.iaca.int.