The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, established in November 1945, is a specialized agency of United Nations created with the aim of promoting peace and comprehension between Nations by using education, science, culture, communication and information. The main mission is to promote the “universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms” which are defined and confirmed by the UN Charter of Human Rights.

The Program UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs, launched in 1992, promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking between universities in order to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. Through this Program, Universities share their human and materials resources to face the most pressing challenges and to contribute to social development. The Chair’s network often provides experts and mediators among the academic world, civil society, local communities, research and politics, proving [LS1] its capacity in informing policy-makers, promoting new didactic projects, producing innovation through research and improving existing academic programs while fostering cultural diversity.

A UNESCO Chair is established for a period of four years with an Agreement signed by UNESCO Director General and the Rector of the University or the research institute. The Program UNITWIN is instead a partnership between UNESCO and a network of universities and research institutes (from three to ten) located in different countries. This partnership is finalized with the signature of an Agreement between UNESCO and the network, which has to express the goals and the expected results of the collaboration.

The Program UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs is promoted primarily in sectors such as education, natural and social sciences, culture and communication: UNESCO fields of competence.

Guidelines and Procedures clarify and define the criteria and procedures governing the establishment and functioning of UNESCO Chairs and of the UNITWIN Cooperation Programme.