Proposed by Ambassador CHEN Jian, former UN Under-Secretary-General and instructed by United Nations Association of China, the Shanghai UN Research Association (SUNRA) is initiated and established by some distinguished scholars and leading universities and academic institutions in Shanghaiin 2013.

SUNRA aims to help consolidate and strengthen UN research in Shanghai, promote the development and cooperation of UN agencies in Shanghai, and win over more supports from the UN and international organizations for the development of Shanghai. The main activities of SUNRA are to coordinate and guide UN studies in Shanghai, to assist and provide convenience to UN agencies for their activities in China, and to offer consultation and service regarding UN issues for government and society. SUNRA will attain these purposes through academic research, policy consultation, professional training, and cultural communication.