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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading UBS Global Sustainable Equity Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund seeks to maximize total return, consisting of capital appreciation and current income by investing primarily in the equity securities of non-US issuers.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for a sales charge waiver or discount if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts and waivers, as well as eligibility requirements for each share class, is available from your financial advisor and in "Managing your fund account" on page 51 of the Fund's prospectus and in "Reduced sales charges, additional purchase, exchange and redemption information and other services" on page 113 of the Fund's statement of additional information ("SAI").

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 41% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 41.00%
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block] rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock Purchases of $1 million or more that were not subject to a front-end sales charge are subject to a 1% CDSC if sold within one year of the purchase date.
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for a sales charge waiver or discount if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods unless otherwise stated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The costs described in the example reflect the expenses of the Fund that would result from the irrevocable fee waiver and expense reimbursement for all years. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock


Principal investments


Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes, if any) in equity securities. Investments in equity securities may include, but are not limited to, dividend-paying securities, common stock and preferred stock of issuers located throughout the world. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily (at least 65% of its total assets) in companies organized or having their principal place of business outside the United States or doing a substantial amount of business outside the United States. Up to 35% of the Fund's assets may be invested in U.S. equity securities. The Fund may invest in issuers from both developed and emerging markets. The Advisor, on behalf of the Fund, intends to diversify broadly among countries, but reserves the right to invest a substantial portion of the Fund's assets in one or more countries if economic and business conditions warrant such investments. The Fund may invest in stocks of companies of any size.


The Fund may, but is not required to, use exchange-traded or over-the-counter ("OTC") derivative instruments for risk management purposes or as part of the Fund's investment strategies. The derivatives in which the Fund may invest include futures, forward currency agreements and equity participation notes. All of these derivatives may be used for risk management purposes to manage or adjust the risk profile of the Fund. Futures on currencies and forward currency agreements may also be used to hedge against a specific currency. In addition, all of the derivative instruments listed above may be used for investment (non-hedging) purposes to earn income; to enhance returns; to replace more traditional direct investments (except for forward currency agreements); or to obtain exposure to certain markets (except for forward currency agreements). The Fund also may use futures contracts on equity securities and indices to gain market exposure on its uninvested cash.


Management process


The Advisor's investment decisions are based upon price/value discrepancies as identified by the Advisor's fundamental valuation process.


In selecting securities for the portion of the Fund that is managed according to the Advisor's fundamental valuation process, the Advisor focuses on, among other things, identifying discrepancies between a security's fundamental value and its market price. In this context, the fundamental value of a given security is the Advisor's assessment of what a security is worth. The Advisor will select a security whose fundamental value it estimates to be greater than its market value at any given time. For each stock under analysis, the Advisor bases its estimates of value upon country, economic, industry and company analysis, as well as upon a company's management team, competitive advantage and core competencies. The Advisor then compares its assessment of a security's value against the prevailing market prices, with the aim of constructing a portfolio of stocks across industries and countries with attractive relative price/value characteristics.


The Advisor will employ both a positive and negative screening process with regard to securities selection for the Fund. The negative screening process will exclude securities with more than 5% of sales in alcohol, tobacco, defense, nuclear, GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms), water bottles, gambling and pornography from the Fund's portfolio. We believe that this negative screen reduces the global universe by about 7% by market capitalization and we do not expect it to have a material impact on portfolio construction or strategy. The positive screening process will identify securities of companies that are fundamentally attractive and that have superior valuation characteristics. In addition, the positive screening process will also include material, fundamental sustainability factors that we believe confirm the fundamental investment case and can enhance the ability to make good investment decisions. The sustainability factors are material extra-financial factors that evaluate the environmental, social and governance performance of companies that along with more traditional financial analytics identify companies that the Advisor believes will provide sustained, long-term value.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Main risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

All investments carry a certain amount of risk and the Fund cannot guarantee that it will achieve its investment objective. You may lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Below are some of the specific risks of investing in the Fund.


Market risk: The market value of the Fund's investments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, as the stock and bond markets fluctuate. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, or sector of the economy, or it may affect the market as a whole.


Foreign investing risk: The value of the Fund's investments in foreign securities may fall due to adverse political, social and economic developments abroad and due to decreases in foreign currency values relative to the US dollar. Also, foreign securities are sometimes less liquid and more difficult to sell and to value than securities of US issuers. These risks are greater for investments in emerging market issuers. In addition, investments in emerging market issuers may decline in value because of unfavorable foreign government actions, greater risks of political instability or the absence of accurate information about emerging market issuers.


Management risk: The risk that the investment strategies, techniques and risk analyses employed by the Advisor may not produce the desired results.


Limited capitalization risk: The risk that securities of smaller capitalization companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger capitalization companies. This can have a disproportionate effect on the market price of smaller capitalization companies and affect the Fund's ability to purchase or sell these securities. In general, smaller capitalization companies are more vulnerable than larger companies to adverse business or economic developments and they may have more limited resources.


Derivatives risk: The value of "derivatives"—so called because their value "derives" from the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index—may rise or fall more rapidly than other investments. When using derivatives for non-hedging purposes, it is possible for the Fund to lose more than the amount it invested in the derivative. The risks of investing in derivative instruments also include market risk, management risk and counterparty risk (which is the risk that a counterparty to a derivative contract is unable or unwilling to meet its financial obligations). In addition, non-exchange traded derivatives may be subject to liquidity risk, credit risk and mispricing or valuation complexity. These derivatives risks are different from, and may be greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other instruments.


Leverage risk associated with financial instruments: The use of financial instruments to increase potential returns, including derivatives used for investment (non-hedging) purposes, may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. The use of leverage may also accelerate the velocity of losses and can result in losses to the Fund that exceed the amount originally invested.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney You may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance Risk/return bar chart and table
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The performance information that follows shows the Fund's performance information in a bar chart and an average annual total returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. Indices reflect no deduction for fees and expenses. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. On or about October 28, 2013, the Fund's investment strategies changed. The performance below is attributable to the Fund's performance before the strategy change. Updated performance for the Fund is available at http://globalam-us.ubs.com/corpweb/performance.do.


After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. In addition, the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns for other classes will vary from the Class Y shares' after-tax returns shown.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress http://globalam-us.ubs.com/corpweb/performance.do
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Total return UBS Global Sustainable Equity Fund Annual Total Returns of Class Y Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Total return January 1 - September 30, 2013: 11.36%
Best quarter during calendar years shown—2Q 2009: 29.94%
Worst quarter during calendar years shown—3Q 2011: (23.88)%

Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Total return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Sep. 30, 2013
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 11.36%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 29.94%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (23.88%)
Performance Table Market Index Changed rr_PerformanceTableMarketIndexChanged Effective October 28, 2013, the Fund's performance benchmark changed from the MSCI World Free ex USA Index (net) to the MSCI World Index (net) in connection with changes to the Fund's investment strategies effective on that date.
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes Indices reflect no deduction for fees and expenses.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred In addition, the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After-tax returns for other classes will vary from the Class Y shares' after-tax returns shown.
Caption rr_AverageAnnualReturnCaption Average annual total returns (figures reflect sales charges) (for the periods ended December 31, 2012)
MSCI World Index (net)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 15.83% [1]
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (1.18%) [1]
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.51% [1]
MSCI World Free ex USA Index (net)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.41% [1]
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (3.43%) [1]
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 8.60% [1]
CLASS A
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.50%
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (CDSC) (as a % of purchase or sales price, whichever is less) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none [2]
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.60% [3]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.65%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (1.40%)
Total annual fund operating expenses after management fee waiver/expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.25% [4]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 670
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 925
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,199
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,978
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 11.95%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (4.36%)
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.05%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jun. 30, 1997
CLASS C
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (CDSC) (as a % of purchase or sales price, whichever is less) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00%
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.60% [3]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 3.40%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (1.40%)
Total annual fund operating expenses after management fee waiver/expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 2.00% [4]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 303
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 627
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,078
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,327
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 203
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 627
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,078
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 2,327
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 16.70% [5]
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (3.98%) [5]
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.86% [5]
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 25, 2002 [5]
CLASS Y
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (CDSC) (as a % of purchase or sales price, whichever is less) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Redemption Fee (as a percentage of Amount Redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption (1.00%)
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.60% [3]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.40%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (1.40%)
Total annual fund operating expenses after management fee waiver/expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.00% [4]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 102
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 318
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 552
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,225
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 31.66%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 17.25%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 9.69%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 23.78%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 8.38%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (44.09%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 39.65%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 12.39%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (17.79%)
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 18.80%
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 18.80%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (3.04%)
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.89%
Average Annual Returns, Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Aug. 31, 1993
CLASS Y | After Taxes on Distributions
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 17.88%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (3.96%)
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.93%
CLASS Y | After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Average Annual Returns, 1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 12.72%
Average Annual Returns, 5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (2.81%)
Average Annual Returns, 10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.87%
[1] Effective October 28, 2013, the Fund's performance benchmark changed from the MSCI World Free ex USA Index (net) to the MSCI World Index (net) in connection with changes to the Fund's investment strategies effective on that date.
[2] Purchases of $1 million or more that were not subject to a front-end sales charge are subject to a 1% CDSC if sold within one year of the purchase date.
[3] "Other expenses" include "Acquired fund fees and expenses," which were less than 0.01% of the average net assets of the Fund.
[4] UBS Global Asset Management (Americas) Inc., the Fund's investment advisor ("UBS Global AM (Americas)" or the "Advisor"), has agreed irrevocably to waive its fees and reimburse certain expenses (excluding expenses incurred through investment in other investment companies, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and extraordinary expenses) so that the Fund's ordinary operating expenses (excluding expenses incurred through investment in other investment companies, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.25% for Class A shares, 2.00% for Class C shares and 1.00% for Class Y shares. This fee waiver and expense arrangement may only be amended or terminated by shareholders.
[5] Prior to September 30, 2003, Class C shares were subject to a maximum front-end sales charge of 1.00%; this front-end sales charge is not reflected in the average annual total returns presented for the Class C shares shown above.