UNESCO Chairs Seminars

UNESCO Chairs Seminars

Online seminars, pushing back the boundaries of knowledge on topics related to UNESCO's mandate in education, culture, communication and the sciences.

About

These online seminars mobilise the collective intelligence and experience of UNESCO's network of some 1000 university Chairs and UNITWIN networks from around the world to exchange on emerging issues related to sustainable development. Through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary discussions, the seminars aim to push back the boundaries of knowledge on topics related to UNESCO's mandate in education, culture, communication and the sciences, as well as broader issues for the United Nations.

Open to the public, they bring together the UNESCO Chairs community, researchers, civil society representatives, practitioners and UN specialists to an open platform for discussion, collaboration and knowledge exchange, with a view to expanding cooperation to tackle the pressing issues of our time. The UNESCO Chairs Seminars were prepared in follow up to the UNITWIN 30th Anniversary Conference on Transforming Knowledge for Just and Sustainable Futures, held in November 2022. 

"Transforming Knowledge for Africa’s Future": upcoming series

From September to November 2023, the UNESCO Chairs Seminars will focus on the 5 Flagship Programmes of the Operational Strategy for Priority Africa  2022-2029. 

These Seminars will provide an interdisciplinary venue for UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks, and other experts, to engage with each Flagship Programme.

The Seminars are a contribution towards the African Union’s Theme of the Year 2024, devoted to education.

Vers un pacte pour l'avenir
Towards a Pact for the Future
Concept Note for Series 5
Pact for the Future Zero Draft

Series 5 - Towards a Pact for the Future

An Overview of the Pact for the Future

Tuesday 5th March. Synthesis and video available

Sustainable Development & Financing for Development

Tuesday 9 April 2024 14:00-15:30 Paris Time

International Peace and Security

Thursday 16 May 2024, 14:00-15:30 Paris Time (tbc)

Science, Technology and Innovation and Digital Cooperation

Wednesday 5 June 2024, 14:00-15:30 Paris Time (tbc)

Youth and Future Generations

Wednesday 26 June 2024, 14:00-15:30 Paris Time (tbc)

Transforming Global Governance

Wednesday 17 July 2024, 14:00-15:30 Paris Time (tbc)

UNESCO Chairs Seminars are  linked with a particular programmatic focus of the Organization on which the UNESCO Chairs work. The UNESCO Chairs Seminars have stimulated debate through a a broad, transversal approach, engaging the community of Chairs and affiliated institutions.

Access previous series below.

Series 4: Transforming knowledge for Africa's future

The fourth series focused on key issues in Africa – a priority for UNESCO - under the theme "Transforming Knowledge for Africa's Future. It contributed towards the African Union’s Theme of the Year 2024, devoted to education.
Empowering African Science
Advancing the reflection and the action on the ethics of artificial intelligence
Advancing the Recommendation on Open Educational Resources (OER)
Fostering cultural heritage
Decolonising the teaching of Africa's history
Reinforcing higher education in Africa
UNESCO's work on Priority Africa

Series 3: Science and sustainability

June 2023
Large-scale renewable energy deployment for climate change mitigation
UNESCO's work in Natural Sciences

Series 2: Human rights

The second series of UNESCO Chairs Seminars (May-June 2023) covered issues related to UNESCO's work on human rights, linked to issues of society, knowledge and freedom.
A solution in plain sight: a human rights economy
Science benefiting society: the role of the right to science
Academic freedom and the freedom of science
UNESCO's work in Social and Human Sciences

Series 1: Futures of higher education

The first series of UNESCO Chairs Seminars (January-March 2023) was a wide-ranging discussion on the changing role of higher education.
Beyond limits: new ways to reinvent higher education
Knowledge-driven actions: transforming higher education for global sustainability
Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education
Futures of Education
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