This report describes the activities carried out by IACA through a year of transition as the Academy began to implement its new Work Programme and adapt to the new circumstance the organization found itself in due to the continued lockdown related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of IACA’s main goals was to strengthen the engagement of the Parties in order to enhance organizational ownership and consolidate existing partnerships while developing new ones. IACA has worked diligently to strengthen relationships with partners new and old. The Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Financial Matters and other Administrative and Substantive Aspects of IACA has increased the engagement and ownership of Parties on issues affecting the Academy. Furthermore, IACA has strengthened its relationships and launched joint activities with partner organizations, including UNODC and UNITAR. The Academy has also connected with numerous new partners from the public and private sectors, as well as from academia and civil society. 

IACA managed to re-establish its research department. Two main research projects have been initiated over the course of the year. The first one was to establish IACA’s Global Research Network. The purpose of the network is to promote collaboration between researchers and support the initiation, design, and implementation of global, regional, and interdisciplinary research projects. The second project foresaw the creation of IACA’s Repository of Research on Anti-Corruption, Compliance and Collective Action (IACA’s Repository). This project aims to provide anti-corruption professionals and all those who are interested in preventing and combating corruption with access to the latest in anti-corruption thinking from around the world.

2021 saw the expansion of the Academy’s capacities in delivering education, training, and technical assistance.  Firstly, the graduate education offerings have been expanded for the first time in 5 years, with a new master’s programme being launched and preparations for the master’s programme in Spanish being initiated. Extending IACA’s courses into new languages will allow for greater reach and for the Academy’s anti-corruption know-how to be spread more effectively beyond the English-speaking world. 

The Academy also started to offer other postgraduate courses. The diversification in our offerings will allow IACA to reach a much wider audience and share its knowledge with those to whom our more traditional offerings were inaccessible. 

IACA greatly expanded its offering of open trainings and provided double the number of tailor-made-trainings compared to 2020. A range of online activities including instructor-led and self-paced courses have been implemented, attracting almost 2000 participants.

The Academy has also continued to consolidate its efforts to ensure that gender equality and female empowerment are upheld in the selection and recruitment of its staff, participation in its programmes and trainings, and the awarding of scholarships.