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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched the university education twinning and networking scheme (UNITWIN Program) in 1992.  It operates through the establishment of UNESCO Chairs and UNESCO networks which are also known as UNITWIN Projects.

This UNESCO Programme serves as a prime means of capacity building through the exchange of knowledge and sharing in a spirit of solidarity.  Thus is promotes north-south and south-south cooperation as a strategy to enrich institutions.  The main participants are universities and research institutions, in partnership with many important higher education NGOs, foundations, and public and private sector organizations.  UNITWIN opens avenues for the higher education community to join forces with UNESCO to achieve the objectives of the global agenda.

The UNITWIN Program covers training, research and the exchange of academics and offers a platform for information sharing in all major fields within the competence of UNESCO.  Its principal beneficiaries are institutions of higher learning in developing countries and countries in transition.  Majority of the projects are interdisciplinary and intersectoral and involve all program sectors at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and its field offices, Institutes and Centres.  National Commissions play an important role in helping to facilitate the programme to promote quality and assess impact.

Relevance and effectiveness, at the national, regional and global levels are among the prime goals of the Programme.  So far UNITWIN projects have proven useful in establishing new teaching programmes, generate new ideas through research and reflection and have facilitated enrichment of existing university programmes through integration of cultural diversity.  Because of the flexibility of UNITWIN Programme, universities can respond more readily and with greater autonomy to the demands for new learning.


UNESCO (2006)
Guidelines and Procedures for
the UNESCO/UNITWIN Programme
ED/HED/UNITWIN/2006/PI/1 rev.