The UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks Programme and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network are two mechanisms through which UNESCO mobilizes global resources to advance sustainable development.The former connects universities around the world through knowledge-sharing partnerships that strengthen specialized academic fields. The latter focuses on culture, positioning creative practice as a drive for urban development and building a platform for dialogue that links the local and the global.
A bridge for knowledge: UNESCO Chairs and the co-production of sustainability expertise
UNESCO officially launched the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme in 1992. There are some 950 UNESCO Chairs and 45 UNITWIN Networks hosted in higher education institutions in 120 countries.Each Chair or Network is lead prominent academics in their field of competence and supported by a team within the same university but also with diverse partners, often in different regions of the world. This makes some 10,000 individuals involved in the UNESCO Chairs programme.[1]
Image| Distribution of UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN Networks
（Source：https://www.unesco.org/zh/unitwin/map?hub=84637）
A UNESCO Chair is a cooperative programme established within a university or research institution. Centered on a designated Chairholder, it brings together faculty members, researchers, and students from the host institution, while also engaging partners both within and beyond the United Nations system to implement joint initiatives.The relationship between the Chair and UNESCO is formalized through an official agreement. Activities typically focus on shared priority areas, such as inclusive education and the safeguarding of cultural heritage, while providing an international platform that connects knowledge production with practical implementation.
At present, China hosts 33 UNESCO Chairs, covering fields including education, culture, natural and social sciences, as well as information and communication.
List of UNESCO Chairs in China
In addition to the Chairs listed above, China also participates in two UNITWIN Networks: the UNITWIN Network in Distance and Open Learning (East-Asia) coordinated by Shanghai Open University, and the UNITWIN Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts, in which the Shanghai Theatre Academy is a member institution.
The activities undertaken by China’s 33 UNESCO Chairs reflect how the country’s development experience can contribute to a shared futurefor mankind. For example, the UNESCO Chair inGreen Transition for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change at China University of Petroleum-Beijing addresses global climate challenges, while the UNESCO Chair on Digitalization in Technical and Vocational Educationand Training at Shenzhen Polytechnic University responds to the industrializationof countries in the Global South.
Culture at the core: Activating creativity in global urban development
A UNESCO Creative City is a city that places culture and the creative industries at the center of its local development strategy and actively engages in international cultural cooperation. By integrating cultural creativity into urban policies, strategies, programmes, and initiatives, these cities contribute to the implementation of the UNESCO 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network spans eight creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Media Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music, and Architecture. To date, 408 cities worldwide have joined the network.
Major metropolitan centers such as Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing were among the first in China to join the network as Cities of Design, drawing on their resources and global connectivity. Subsequently, cities including Chengdu, Hangzhou, Jingdezhen, and Nanjing were designated in other fields such as Gastronomy, Crafts and Folk Art, and Literature based on local cultural traditions.
On October31, 2025, Quanzhou and Wuxi were officially admitted to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. China now has 20 Creative Cities, the mostin the world, highlighting the inclusive values that the local cultures can also embody the global culture.
List of UNESCO Creative Cities in China
(Source: https://www.unesco.org/en/creative-cities/grid?hub=80094)
Reference：
[1] UNESCO. (n.d.). The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme: About. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). https://www.unesco.org/en/unitwin/about
Quick Catch-up:
1. The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme: guidelines and procedures (revised March 2022)
Through the UNITWIN Networks and UNESCO Chairs Programme, higher education and research institutions around the world pool their human and material resources to address global development challenges. UNESCO Chairs and networks contribute by informing policy-making, developing new teaching initiatives, advancing innovation through research, and enriching existing university curricula while promoting cultural diversity.
In fields where expertise is limited, many Chairs and networks have evolved into regional or sub-regional centers of excellence and innovation. They also play an important role in strengthening cooperation between the Global North and the Global South.
Link：
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380998
EditorsXU Jianan,FEI Jiayi, UNESCO-TEC
