The new United Nations University, which began its initial operations in September 1975, now includes programs on the alleviation of world hunger, on human and social development, and on the use and management of natural resources. The university is beginning to fulfill its mandate to organize top scientific and scholarly collaboration to help identify and alleviate pressing global problems of human survival, development, and welfare. This new university does not have a campus, students, or degree courses, but rather it was founded on a unique concept whereby it operates from the central planning and coordinating center in Tokyo through networks of institutions and scholars all over the world. In order to achieve its goals, the U.N. University organizes associated institutions and scholars to (1) identify critical international problems, (2) to undertake internationally coordinate research and advanced training, (3) to strengthen research and advanced training resources in developing countries, (4) to disseminate the research results both to scholars and decision-makers, and (5) to encourage mission-oriented multidisciplinary research and advanced training.