▁both ▁a ▁university ▁and ▁an ▁organ ▁of ▁United ▁Nations . ▁For ▁nearly ▁a ▁generation , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁committed ▁to ▁providing ▁vital ▁research ▁on ▁critical ▁software ▁systems ▁while ▁ment oring ▁exception al ▁academ ics ▁from ▁around ▁the ▁developing ▁world . ▁As ▁the ▁world ▁of ▁information ▁and ▁communication ▁technology ▁( I CT ) ▁has ▁changed ▁imm ens ely ▁over ▁the ▁dec ades , ▁it ▁has ▁defined ▁a ▁new ▁mission ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁four - year ▁strateg ic ▁plan ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁The ▁plan ▁calls ▁for ▁UN U - II ST ▁to ▁emb ark ▁on ▁a ▁more ▁dram atic ▁and ▁focused ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁computing ▁environment ▁and ▁its ▁potential ▁to ▁serve ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁sust ain able ▁development ▁( SD ). ▁ ▁Event ually , ▁UN U ▁decided ▁to ▁evol ve ▁the ▁former ▁II ST ▁into ▁a ▁new ▁Institute ▁on ▁Comput ing ▁and ▁Society ▁( IC S ). ▁ ▁Administration ▁The ▁last ▁Director ▁of ▁UN U - CS ▁was ▁Professor ▁Michael ▁Best ▁( 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 8 ). ▁ ▁Form er ▁direct ors ▁ ▁Prof . ▁Peter ▁H add aw y ▁( 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 5 ) ▁▁ ▁Prof . ▁Mike ▁Re ed ▁( 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 1 0 ) ▁ ▁Prof . ▁Z hou ▁Ch ao chen ▁( 1 9 9 7 - 2 0 0 2 ) ▁ ▁Prof . ▁D ines ▁B jor ner ▁( 1 9 9 2 - 1 9 9