Corruption

Reference documents   The Academy's Brochure      (Acrobat file )   Headquarters Agreement between INTERPOL and the Government of Austria signed on 17th, July 2007 by the INTERPOL Secretary General   Photo Gallery

	Fully equipped and furnished training facility
	Real-world curriculum
	Renowned faculty
	Governance structure
	Strategic aims
	Funding goals and Fundraising

‘Working together towards a corruption-free world by promoting and defending integrity, justice and the rule of law’
Mission statement of the INTERPOL Anti-Corruption Academy

The Anti-Corruption Academy will be a non-profit organization operated under the auspices of INTERPOL, and will work in conjunction with a special anti-corruption office established by INTERPOL (IACO), as well as a host of other strategic partners.

The Academy will be the world’s first educational institute dedicated to fighting corruption.

Fully equipped and furnished training facility

INTERPOL wishes to recognise the extraordinary professional and personal commitment that Austria’s government and late Minister of Interior Liese Prokop dedicated to making this dream for Austria and INTERPOL a reality.

The Austrian Government has agreed to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for the Academy, which includes accommodation and catering facilities. The proposed building, part of an elegant 16th-century convent, will provide the ideal setting and ambiance for an institute of higher learning of this nature. The building will be adapted to include lecture and computer rooms, accommodation, dining facilities and a study area.

Real-world curriculum

Internationally recognized scholars, practitioners and prominent academics will be engaged by the Academy to ensure that it becomes the most innovative global provider of anti-corruption education, training, investigative assistance, and research. Furthermore, especially to meet the need in developing countries to undertake more complex investigations, the Academy will become a forum to express and exchange innovative ideas to confront the most vexing problems facing the global law enforcement community.

The curriculum, developed by experienced educators and corruption experts, will be the key to the Academy’s success. Topics will include oversight and investigation of high-profile corruption cases, independent agency creation and management, forensic accounting, ethics, asset tracing and recovery, money laundering, and computer-based evidence gathering. Courses will comprise a set of modules on different subjects which can be taken individually or combined, and typical sessions may last from one week to three months. Coursework, both practical and theoretical, will offer real case studies reflecting the laws, cultures and capabilities of different countries.

The Academy will seek official accreditation by negotiating agreements with recognized universities to allow its graduates to apply their course credits toward university degrees in fields such as law and criminal justice.

Research will also be an important priority of the Academy.

Education will be achieved not only through courses but also through conferences, seminars and workshops and the Academy will serve as a think tank and will have the capacity and capability to undertake research assignments for other organisations, subject to funding, and will promote cooperation and collaboration within the anti-corruption community.

Additionally, it is INTERPOL’s strategy to expand the Academy to include regional academies, using already established training centres in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific regions, to cater for language, cultural and regional differences, and to reduce costs to students and faculties.

© Photodisc

The Academy will employ full-time professors and researchers with advanced academic credentials, and select guest lecturers and senior practitioners of renown to supplement this expertise. As well as providing quality education, research and methodology, this will offer students maximum exposure to multilingual, culturally diverse experts from academia, government, the business community, non-governmental organizations, development agencies and international financial institutions.

The Academy’s day-to-day management will be effected by a dean. The governance structure of the Academy is expected to include an oversight body to ensure that high standards of education, management, policy and accountability are maintained. The composition and role of this governing body are currently being developed.

In order to achieve the below-mentioned strategic aims, an Academic Project Management Committee was appointed at the beginning of 2007, composed of experts from academia from all over the world. Together, with experts from INTERPOL, the Committee will formulate recommendations on different aspects related to education, training, research and governance of the Academy.

This building, donated by the Austrian government, will house the new INTERPOL Anti-Corruption Academy.

By contributing to the Academy, donors will be helping to create the world’s first international centre of excellence dedicated to rooting out corrupt practices at all levels of society. Over time, the Academy will be able to expand its reach beyond education and research to include:

• Assistance with the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), and other international conventions;
• Training and deployment of anti-corruption professionals at the national level;
• Creation of an international anti-corruption network; and
• Assurance of international good practice and uniform standards in prevention, detection and prosecution of corruption.

Ultimately this will lead to increased transparency in the public and private sector, thereby restoring public confidence in its institutions. The private sector, particularly large multinationals, will see lower costs and less waste. Other international organizations and non-governmental bodies will have an invaluable partner in their efforts to foster stable and just societies.

Legal agreements signed between the Austrian Government and INTERPOL set out further provisions. In terms of accountability, INTERPOL will carry out annual internal and external audits, and will be subject to regular reporting on the Academy, to its Executive Committee and General Assembly.

The strategic aims of the Academy are:

• to professionalize anti-corruption work, and exchange practices and standards in jurisdictions globally; and
• to improve the efficiency and efficacy of all those agencies, entities, or individuals throughout the world, whose primary function is to prevent, detect, or prosecute corruption.

• Development of original, curricula, based on the insights of Academy faculty, and other anti-corruption experts and staff;
• Ongoing education for a growing cadre of anti-corruption professionals, using e-learning as a substantial support mechanism;
• Recruitment of guest lecturers and instructors with extensive practical experience to augment and enhance the baseline curricula to enable the Academy to maintain a critical mass of expertise in the subject areas, and allow for a continuous source of fresh insights and information;
• Development of a feedback loop between alumni of the Academy and Academy faculty to ensure that the practical lessons alumni learn within their respective countries will be incorporated into future Programs;
• Establishment of innovative research programs in coordination with other international bodies and research universities, to provide vital information to countries and international organizations on effective anti-corruption strategies. This research program will instil a culture of continuous innovation in anti-corruption practices globally;
• Participation in standard-setting groups and other global anti-corruption organizations to enable the Academy to extend its influence in practical, everyday applications; and
• Collaboration with colleges and universities to professionalize anti-corruption work, especially related to implementation of various treaties like the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, as well as providing country specific investigative assistance and information sharing.

In an important first step, the Austrian government has generously agreed to provide:

• a fully equipped and furnished state of the art education, training and research facility; and
• a conference to introduce the Academy to decision makers both in the public and private sectors.

The Academy will function as a non-profit, organization, and contributions will be tax-deductible in the majority of our member countries.

Initial start-up funding totalling 15 million euros, is currently being raised to facilitate three years’ operational costs, after which it aims to become self-sustaining through revenue from student fees, donations, research contracts and ancillary services, such as publication sales, conference attendance fees and short-term executive education.

To ensure the Academy is accessible to all, financial assistance – from international organizations, governments, development agencies and the private sector – will be sought to support the participation of students from less-developed countries.

Further information will soon be provided by the project manager to the public and private sectors, as well as further details on the potential for tax deductions.