UNESCO Chair
Join the Network
Creating a UNESCO Chair means having a passion to advance research, training and program development in higher education. It also means pursuing a vision of collaboration and information-sharing among universities. The Network now has 40 Chairs in Canada and 1000 around the world.
2024-2025 UNESCO Chairs call for applications
The 2024-25 call for applications has closed.
For full program details, including program description and eligibility requirements, please consult the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme Guidelines and procedures. Please note that this programme does not provide funding.
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO plays a key role in the preparation and pre-selection of candidates for the UNESCO Chairs Programme. Applications to UNESCO are limited to two per country, per year, as determined by the national commission. Therefore, all applications to UNESCO are subject to the prior validation and endorsement of the Canadian Commission.
Required documents:
- Letter of Intent (maximum three pages)
- Letter of support from the head of the proposed host institution
- CV(s) of proposed Chairholder(s)
Assessment:
Applications will undergo an evaluation process by a committee of current Chairholders and relevant CCUNESCO staff. As the Committee is interdisciplinary, the use of clear and accessible language is recommended.
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Contribution to one or more of UNESCO’s priorities
- Consult UNESCO’s Medium-term Strategy (2022-2029) and Approved Programme and Budget (2022-2025)
- Alignment with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO priorities
- Consult its Strategic Plan
- South-South and North-South-South Cooperation
- Engagement with UNESCO and its networks
- Includes a gender-sensitive approach, or gender lens
- Financial sustainability of the Chair
- Contributing to a greater presence of under-represented groups, geographic regions, or host institutions within the Canadian UNESCO Chairs network
- Expertise of the proposed Chairholder(s)
We welcome applications from racialized people, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and others.
Deadlines:
Application: 15 September
Full draft proposal (for successful candidates): 31 January
Final submission to UNESCO (for final selected candidates): 30 April
Contact: Please send completed packages to ccunesco@ccunesco.ca and Daly Koffi, Program Assistant, Communication and Information (daly.koffi@ccunesco.ca)