The Ministry of University and Research has awarded the Italian UNESCO Chairs (including one in Bergamo) a Seal of Merit in recognition of the international prestige of the Programme
UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs, which allows you to enhance teaching quality e
science of the institutions of Italian higher education and that
promotes academic mobility and knowledge transfer
through twinning, networks and cooperation agreements between universities,
national and international research institutes and industries.
The recognition of the MUR is aimed at the role played by the Chairs (including that of Human rights and ethics of international cooperation established in 2003 by the University of Bergamo) in «promoting intercultural dialogue and social inclusion within the national and international higher education system and in achieving the 2030 Agenda Goals for sustainable development set by the United Nations General Assembly.
The international network currently includes 950 Chairs. In Italy there are 46 UNITWI Chairs and Networks. The Programme, launched in 1992, promotes international inter-university collaboration and networking to boost institutional capacity through knowledge sharing and collaborative working. Universities, through the Internet, pool their human and material resources to address the most pressing challenges and contribute to the development of society. Often the Network of Chairs is able to provide experts and mediators between the academic world, civil society, local communities, research and politics, demonstrating its usefulness in informing political decision makers, establishing new teaching initiatives, generating innovation
through research and contribute to the enrichment of programs
existing universities while promoting diversity
cultural.
A UNESCO Chair is established for a period of four years through an agreement signed by the Director General of UNESCO and the Rector
of the university or research institute. Instead, the UNITWIN Cooperation Program is a partnership between UNESCO and a network of universities or research institutes (three to ten) in different countries who come together to
collectively sign an agreement with UNESCO. The partnership
is formalized through an agreement between UNESCO and the network, which must
express the objectives of the collaboration and the expected results e
describe the terms of operation and support of the network. The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program is implemented as a priority in areas related to UNESCO’s fields of competence, such as education, natural and social sciences, culture and communication.
