Launched in 1992, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work.

The Programme supports the establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks in key priority areas related to UNESCO's fields of competence – i.e. in education, the natural and social sciences, culture and communication.
Through this network, higher education and research institutions all over the globe pool their resources, both human and material, to address pressing challenges and contribute to the development of their societies.

In many instances, the Networks and Chairs serve as think tanks and as bridge builders between academia, civil society, local communities, research and policy-making.

They have proven useful in informing policy decisions, establishing new teaching initiatives, generating innovation through research and contributing to the enrichment of existing university programmes while promoting cultural diversity.

In areas suffering from a dearth of expertise, Chairs and Networks have evolved into poles of excellence and innovation at the regional or sub-regional levels.

They also contribute to strengthening North-South-South cooperation.
Today, the Programme involves over 854 institutions in 134 countries.

UNESCO Recommendation

In the last General Conference held in November 2017, UNESCO adopted a revision to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Status of Scientific Researchers (1974), an important document of ethical standard-setting for the scientific community. The revision was carried out under the lead of the Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS), with significant contributions from the Natural Sciences Sector (SC), in an example of cross-sectoral cooperation.

This revision, which is the first in more than forty years, involves a renaming of the instrument. It is now called the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

More information on the process of revision at available here.