UNESCO Chairs/UNITWIN Networks

UNESCO Chairs/UNITWIN Networks website

UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs projects deal with training and research activities and cover all major fields of knowledge within UNESCO’s competence, including Education, Human Rights, Cultural Development, Environment, Basic and Engineering Sciences, and Communication. UNITWIN is the abbreviation for the UNIVERSITY TWINNING and networking scheme. The program includes projects located at over 600 institutions in some 121 countries and involving thousands of academics, scholars and graduate students, as well as key partners from civil society and the economic sector. Over the last five years these partners have brought some $30 million US dollars towards UNITWIN projects, a sum six times greater than UNESCO’s own funding.

The principal beneficiaries of this programme are institutions of higher learning in developing countries and countries in transition. The program began in 1992, and an external evaluation took place in 2000. The evaluation appears to be based on a questionnaire answered by UNESCO staff, and another answered by 24 national commissions for UNESCO. Ths success of the program is varied, with developing countries limited by financial problems. Generally, programs appeared to have high relevance and efficiency, and acceptable inpact.

A complete list of the Chairs and Networks is available on the UNESCO website.

UNESCO has published "Procedures for the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme: A Practical Guide (2002)".