The most important Programme in the Area of Higher Education of UNESCO is the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs, which was initiated in 1992 and became widely known as UNESCO Chairs. The aim of the Program is to enhance interuniversity cooperation and encourage exchanges on an academic level. As of 2020, the programme involves over 830 institutions in more than 110 Member States of UNESCO.
Apart from the research initiatives that they undertake, UNESCO Chairs provide educational opportunities in sectors that fall within the Organisation’s mandate and reflect the specific topics that each Chair has the responsibility to promote. They also organize and participate in conferences and activities organized by educational institutions of other member-states who host UNESCO Chairs and are evaluated and monitored for their work by UNESCO itself.
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