(For the preceding part, please refer to the article: https://www.tec-unesco.org.cn/f5/b1/c33129a849329/page.htm)
Within the structural framework of UNESCO, the Director-General serves as the highest-ranking administrative officer, while the Assistant Director-General for Education is tasked with leading the organization's largest and most pivotal division: the Education Sector.
nThe Director-General
Since UNESCO's inception, 12 distinguished leaders from across the globe have successively taken the helm[1].
List of UNESCO Directors-General
Among these Directors-General, several have collaborated closely with China to foster its engagement in global multilateral governance:
●Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow: During the early stages of China's reform and opening-up, M'Bow witnessed and significantly advanced the comprehensive partnership between China and UNESCO. During an invited visit to China in 1978, he facilitated the signing of the first memorandum of understanding between the two parties. Additionally, he authorized the publication of the Chinese edition of The UNESCO Courier, laying the groundwork for China's full-scale participation in international scientific and educational cooperation[2].
Photo | Qian Liren presenting his credentials to Director-General M'Bow
(Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition)
●Koïchiro Matsuura: As the first Director-General from Asia, Matsuura consistently expressed high regard for the collaborative relationship between China and UNESCO. He remarked, "China has long been a highly valued member of UNESCO. During my 10-year tenure as Director-General, China's education developed rapidly, cultivating numerous international talents. Since 2010, China has begun dispatching significant numbers of professionals abroad, particularly to Africa and Sub-Saharan regions, providing support in education and other fields. China greatly assisted our work during my time as Director-General, and we are profoundly grateful."[3]
Photo | Koïchiro Matsuura
(Source: https://www.unesco.org/en/former-directors-general）
●Irina Bokova: Bokova made history as UNESCO's first female Director-General. Under her proactive leadership, nine major Chinese cultural heritage sites were successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List, and 11 Chinese cities were integrated into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. She notably praised China's endeavors in women's and girls' education, hailing them as a "global model."
Photo | Irina Bokova
(Source: https://www.culturaldiplomacy.org)
●Audrey Azoulay: Throughout her term, Azoulay was a staunch advocate for the advancement of multilateralism. During her visit to China in 2023, she reached critical consensus with Chinese leadership, deepening cooperation in digital education, girls' education, and the "Priority Africa" strategy, which subsequently paved the way for the establishment of a Category 1 institute in China[4].
Photo | Audrey Azoulay
(Source: https://cn.sggp.org.vn)
nThe Assistant Director-General for Education
The Assistant Director-General for Education is a pivotal figure for the global education agenda. Below is a brief overview of several former Assistant Directors-General for Education who share deep-rooted connections with China.
●The First Chinese Assistant Director-General for Education: TangQian
Born in 1950, Dr. TangQian earned his Bachelor's degree in Education from Shanxi University in China and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Windsor in Canada. Joining UNESCO in 1993, he was officially appointed Assistant Director-General for Education in 2010, marking the first time a Chinese national held this high-level office in the organization's history. During his term from 2010 to 2018, he vigorously promoted China's remarkable achievements in basic education and literacy to the global community. Furthermore, he actively facilitated China's historic transition from an "aid recipient" to an "experience exporter", making outstanding Chinese contributions to the global education[5].
Photo | Tang Qian
(Source: https://news.pku.edu.cn)
On April 4, 2026, Prof. Chen Qun was appointed as the new Assistant Director-General for Education, becoming the second Chinese national to assume this position following TangQian.(https://www.tec-unesco.org.cn/f1/08/c33175a848136/page.htm)
●Stefania Giannini (2018–2026): In September 2024, Giannini traveled specifically to China to attend the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, where she co-hosted the "China-Africa-UNESCO Dialogue on Education and Cultural Heritage Protection" alongside the Chinese Ministry of Education. During this visit, she collaborated with Chinese counterparts to discuss and implement action plans for establishing the UNESCO International Institute for STEM Education (UNESCO IISTEM) in Shanghai[6].
Photo | Stefania Giannini visiting the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre
(Source: https://cice.shnu.edu.cn)
●John Sagar Daniel (2001–2004): A leading authority in the global spheres of distance education and open learning, Sir John Daniel was directly involved in the advancement of higher education in the Hong Kong SAR of China. He served as a member of the Council of the Open University of Hong Kong (now Hong Kong Metropolitan University), providing invaluable guidance for the strategic development of modern distance learning technologies across Asia[7].
Reference:
[1] UNESCO. (n.d.).UNESCO's former Directors-General. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.unesco.org/en/former-directors-general
[2] Qian, L. (2013, June 7). Reminiscences of working as the Permanent Representative to UNESCO.People's Daily Overseas Edition, p. 10. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2013-06/07/content_1252290.htm
[3] He, X. (2021, October 11).Former UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura: Highly appreciates 50 years of cooperation between China and UNESCO. CRI Online. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://news.cri.cn/20211011/e1a118df-b994-807f-64f1-784e5ad89d27.html
[4] Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. (2025, November).Relations between China and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/wjb_673085/zzjg_673183/gjs_673893/gjzz_673897/lhgjkw_674067/gx_674071/
[5] UNESCO. (2010, May 12).Assistant Director-General for Education. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000187921
[6] UNESCO. (n.d.).Office of the Assistant Director-General for Education. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://www.unesco.org/en/education/whos-who
[7] UNESCO. (2001, February 16).Assistant Director-General for Education. Retrieved March 30, 2026, from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000151712
Editor FEIJiayi,UNESCO-TEC
