The Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) closed its eighth session in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, on 20 December. The conference, which focused this year on asset recovery, international cooperation in anti-corruption and prevention of corruption, adopted 15 resolutions relevant for the implementation of the Convention as well as awareness raising on anti-corruption related topics.

Three of the adopted resolutions referred to the activities of IACA:

• In the resolution on “Strengthening asset recovery to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” the States Parties to UNCAC requested the UNODC Secretariat to strengthen, as appropriate, co-operation with IACA on developing and implementing trainings for professionals and practitioners working in the field of asset recovery and return of proceeds of crime.

• The resolution on “Enhancing integrity by raising public awareness” recognizes IACA’s important contribution in providing technical assistance and training to raise public awareness and enhance integrity. It also encourages States Parties to take advantage of capacity-building and training programmes provided by IACA.

• Finally, the resolution on “Promoting integrity in the public sector among States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption” takes note with appreciation of the contributions that IACA can provide in the areas of technical assistance and training, upon the request of States Parties, to enhance integrity in the public sector.

During the general discussion, various national delegations welcomed the contribution IACA makes to the fight against corruption. Some States Parties highlighted the high standard of education provided by the Academy as well as its contribution to the training of anti-corruption professionals world-wide. Referring to the role of IACA as a centre of excellence for anti-corruption education and training, calls were made for those UN Member States that have not yet done so to join IACA and to profit from the various educational opportunities offered by the Academy.

IACA’s delegation to the COSP was led by Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, Officer-in-Charge, and included IACA staff, and some of the IACA’s over 2400 strong Alumni Network. In her statement to the plenary on Tuesday, 17 December, Ms. Pohn Hufnagl elaborated on the work of the Academy and its contribution to the implementation of the UNCAC. She also emphasized that ‘as with tackling corruption on the day to day level, the same degree of vigilance is required at the macro level in supporting and maintaining the institutions that are the backbone of the global anti-corruption efforts.’

IACA's well-attended side event entitled ‘“Educate-Engage-Empower” to Fight Corruption – The Cooperative Approach of the International Anti-Corruption Academy’ was held on the first day of the conference. It brought together four members of IACA’s Alumni Network who provided their perspectives on the impact of IACA’s educational activities and their experiences in the practice of anti-corruption after graduating from IACA programmes or while being enrolled at the Academy.

IACA held several bilateral meetings on the margins of the conference with delegations of its Parties to discuss opportunities for enhancing cooperation. One such meeting included the signing of an agreement with the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the hosting of Module VII of the 2018 Master in Anti-Corruption Studies in Azerbaijan in 2020. For a meeting with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia, Ms. Renata Deskoska, the IACA delegation was joined by Mr. Alexey Konov, Chairperson of IACA's Board of Governors, as well as Ms. Slagjana Taseva, of IACA’s International Academic Advisory Board.

Kazakhstan's contribution is greatly appreciated as it supports the organization’s work in empowering anti-corruption and compliance professionals across the globe.

Having become a Party to IACA in 2014, Kazakhstan has been actively supporting the Academy ever since.

In addition to its voluntary contributions, hosted the eighth session of the IACA Assembly of Parties (AoP) in 2019 and presided over the Bureau of the seventh session of the AoP (2018 - 2019).

Voluntary contributions by Parties are mentioned as a core element of the organization’s financing under Article XI.(1).a of the IACA Agreement. Click here for further details.

The People’s Republic of China has transferred EUR 200,000 to IACA. Part of this amount was dedicated to the development and implementation of a tailor-made training for anti-corruption officials from China. The remainder constitutes a voluntary contribution from China to IACA's budget.

China’s contribution is greatly appreciated as it supports the organization’s work in empowering anti-corruption and compliance professionals across the globe.

Having become a Party to IACA in 2014, China has been actively supporting the Academy ever since. China’s continuous support to IACA's programmes and activities aimed at empowering anti-corruption professionals around the globe is of particular importance and will hopefully encourage other Parties and stakeholders to provide additional support to the Academy.

Voluntary contributions by Parties are mentioned as a core element of the organization’s financing under Article XI.(1).a of the IACA Agreement. Click here for further details.

From 9 to 12 December the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) welcomed 39 IACA Alumni from 25 different countries for a Special Anti-Corruption Training which was the first of its kind.

The group of anti-corruption and compliance professionals included the 18 winners of the Regional Summer Academy Competition, which was organized in October 2019 for participants of IACA’s last three Regional Summer Academies (RSAs):

• East and Southeast Asia (Beijing, China, 9 to 16 September 2018);

• South and East Asia (Seoul, Republic of Korea, 30 August to 6 September 2019);

• Central and South America (São Paulo, Brazil, 20 to 27 September 2019).

Considering the theme of “My Anti-Corruption Journey: How IACA is helping my anti-corruption and compliance work”, participants had to submit an entry describing how IACA has inspired them in their daily fight against corruption. 18 winners were selected based on their entries’ originality and clarity in explaining how attending the respective RSA has helped the winners in their anti-corruption journeys in their home countries and regions. All the winners were invited to attend the Special Anti-Corruption Training Programme, with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative.

Among the group attending the training were also 21 IACA Alumni including Master’s students and graduates, or former participants of IACA’s annual Summer Academy, tailor-made trainings, and other programmes.

The training focused on topics including rebuilding corporate image and reputation, corruption in the non-profit sector, data privacy and GDPR, whistleblowing and legal privileges, ethical decision making, as well as gender and corruption, among others. The group had the opportunity to learn from internationally renowned experts from the private sector, academia, and various leading institutions such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Programme also included a study visit to the White Collar Prosecutor’s Crime Office (WKStA) in Vienna.

During the training the winners presented their competition entries to the rest of the group.

Please see below three examples of winning entries, one from each Regional Summer Academy.

Angelica Maria Escudero Cavides and Mario Daniel Lovon Lillicrap - RSA Central and South America, São Paulo, 2019

Chitralekha Das - RSA South and East Asia, Seoul, 2019

Zhisong Dai - RSA East and Southeast Asia, Beijing, 2018

On 12 December 2019, the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the International Organizations in Vienna, H.E. Mr. Abu Zafar, presented his credentials to Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, Officer-in-Charge of IACA.

Bangladesh became a Party to the Agreement for the Establishment of IACA as an International Organization (IACA Agreement) in November 2018.

The International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) is pleased to announce that its alumni will contribute to the side event organized during the 8th session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) which will open in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates next Monday, 16 December 2019.

Graduates and students of classes of IACA Master in Anti-Corruption Studies will share their experiences in the practice of anti-corruption after graduating from IACA programmes or while being enrolled at the Academy. For more details please see this link (link included to the flyer)

The COSP to the UNCAC was established to improve the capacity of and cooperation between States Parties to achieve the objectives set forth in the Convention and to promote and review its implementation. The 8th session of COSP UNCAC in Abu Dhabi will concentrate on key issues regarding asset recovery, prevention, and technical assistance. The participants will also talk about the implementation of article 63, paragraphs 4 (c) and (d), concerning cooperation with relevant international and regional organizations and mechanisms and non-governmental organizations; as well as appropriate use of relevant information produced by other international and regional mechanisms for combating and preventing corruption, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of work. 

On 10 December 2019, the new Permanent Representative of Israel to the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), H.E. Mr. Mordechai Denis Paul RODGOLD, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, presented his credentials to Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, Officer-in-Charge of IACA.

Israel has been a Party to the Agreement for the Establishment of IACA as an International Organization (IACA Agreement) since November 2012.

IACA proudly celebrated the graduation of both of IACA’s Master programmes: the International Master in Anti-Corruption Compliance and Collective Action (IMACC), and IACA’s Master of Anti-Corruption Studies (MACS), in a festive ceremony at its Laxenburg campus on Friday last week.

The ceremony took place just ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, when the Academy joins the international community in commemorating the passage of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), a vital instrument in raising public awareness for anti-corruption.

The graduation of the masters’ classes is always a special and proud time for IACA, but this year holds a special significance as the IMACC class is the very first group to graduate from this new programme.

The new graduates come from 22 countries/jurisdictions around the world: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, China, India, Kosovo, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Togo, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Zambia. Their professional backgrounds are equally diverse; they work in government ministries, anti-corruption commissions, international organizations, private companies, law enforcement bodies, and NGOs.

IACA’s Officer-in-Charge, Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, strongly encouraged graduates to engage with IACA’s alumni network of anti-corruption and compliance professionals in more than 160 countries/jurisdictions. She also expressed her gratitude for the generosity of the Austrian Development Agency and the Siemens Integrity Initiative for having provided scholarships that enabled students, particularly those from Least Developed Countries, to join the IMACC and MACS programmes.

The guest of honour at the ceremony was Dr. Wolfgang Peschorn, Federal Minister of Interior of Austria. In his speech he emphasized that the effective fight against corruption will facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, he particularly stressed that in line with Goal 16, strong institutions are instrumental in countering corruption and bribery in all their forms.

In their addresses, Prof. Hans-Heiner Kuehne, the Chairperson of the IACA International Academic Advisory Board, and Mr. Michael Hershman, co-founder of Transparency International and Chair of IACA’s International Senior Advisory Board stressed the vital importance of IACA in preparing professionals for the challenges of the fight against the scourge of corruption; professionals who truly understand the damage corruption causes to societies around the world. This is why they called on all the relevant stakeholders in the global anti-corruption community to support IACA in delivering its crucial mandate.

The event was also addressed by Ms. Atuweni Juwayeyi-Agbermodji, elected as the IMACC student speaker, and Mr. Bernardo Sebastian Damm Diaz, speaking on behalf of the MACS graduates.

Professor Peter Rosner of the University of Vienna, Chairperson of the Academic Defence Committee, and Mr. Pawan Kumar Sinha, Director of Academic Programmes at IACA strongly praised the range and high quality of the graduates’ work, including their master’s theses, and commended their commitment to the fight against corruption.

Ms. Atuweni Juwayeyi-Agbermodji from Malawi won the award for the best IMACC master’s thesis with her work "Corporate Liability for Corruption in Malawi: The Policy Legal and Regulatory Issues". The most innovative final project in the IMACC programme award went to Ms. Jiayan Peng of China for her study "A Sustainable Approach to Monitor the Effectiveness of the Compliance Program in a Multinational Company in the Manufacturing Industry".

For the MACS programme, the best master’s thesis award went to Mr. Musa Modoi from Uganda for his work "An Examination of Key Determinants for Effective Recovery of Corruptly Acquired Assets in Uganda". Ms. Lannie Su from USA won the award for the most innovative master’s thesis with her work "Under the Umbrella: Youth and Anti-Corruption in Hong Kong".

The ceremony and reception that followed were joined by the families and friends of the graduates, representatives of the diplomatic community, the faculty, and IACA staff.

The MACS was launched in 2012 as the world’s first postgraduate programme in anti-corruption and compliance. It consists of seven modules, combining in-class and distance learning, and a master’s thesis. The MACS 2017-2019 class had the in-class parts of its final two modules in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, and in Tbilisi, hosted by the Ministry of Justice of Georgia.

The first IMACC class was launched in 2017, and it consists of six modules, combining in-class and distance learning, and a master’s thesis or a final project. This class had attended the in-class component of one module in Switzerland, hosted by the Basel Institute on Governance.

Georgia has made a voluntary contribution of EUR 10,000 to IACA’s general budget.

Georgia’s contribution is greatly appreciated as it supports the organization’s work in empowering anti-corruption and compliance professionals across the globe.

Having become a Party to IACA in 2015, Georgia has been actively supporting the Academy ever since. In addition to its voluntary contributions, Georgia hosted modules of IACA Master in Anti-Corruption Studies programme and presided over the Bureau of the seventh session of the Assembly of Parties (2018 - 2019).

Voluntary contributions by Parties are mentioned as a core element of the organization’s financing under Article XI.(1).a of the IACA Agreement. Click here for further details.

A delegation from the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea and associated agencies visited IACA on 14 November to learn about the Academy’s work, particularly its academic programmes and open and tailor-made trainings.

The delegation was led by Mr. Kim Young Seok, Inspector General of the Ministry of Environment. He was accompanied by a group of 9 internal auditors from Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, Korea Environment Corporation, Korea National Park Service, Korea Water Resources Corporation, National Institute of Ecology, and Sukdown Landfill Site Management Corporation.

Students in IACA’s first International Master in Anti-Corruption Compliance and Collective Action (IMACC) class and fifth Master in Anti-Corruption Studies (MACS) class are coming later this month to IACA campus for the final assessment of their master’s theses and final projects, which will be followed by the festive graduation ceremony on 6 December 2019.

The two-year IACA Academic Programmes are designed for professionals who continue working while pursuing their degrees. Focusing on the advanced study of anti-corruption and compliance, the MACS programme is comprised of seven teaching modules and a master’s thesis. The IMACC programme focuses on anti-corruption compliance and consists of six modules and a final project or a master’s thesis.

IACA is fully recognized as an institution of post-secondary education. Its programmes and their final diplomas are acknowledged in the sense of the European Higher Education Area (“Bologna process”).

Mr. Ricardo Treviño Chapa, Deputy Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) visited IACA’s campus on 13 November.

In a meeting with IACA Officer-in-Charge, Ms. Christiane Pohn-Hufnagl, and staff from different departments, cooperation opportunities between the Academy and WCO were discussed, particularly in the area of the provision of specialized anti-corruption education and training.

After the meeting, Mr. Treviño also visited a class of the Master in Anti-Corruption Studies (MACS) and gave a short presentation introducing the work of WCO and its integrity initiatives.