UNESCO launched the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme in 1991 as an international action plan for academic solidarity to strengthen inter-university co-operation with particular emphasis on support to higher education in the developing countries.
The programme works towards establishing and reinforcing strong and durable linkages amongst higher education and scientific institutions worldwide and at facilitating the transfer of knowledge while combating the brain drain. Special attention is paid to providing assistance through inter-regional and (sub)regional linkages.
The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme encompasses a broad spectrum of activities requiring very flexible modes of action. It is based on genuine, equal partnership among the higher education institutions which initiate various projects within its framework.
Two types of closely interrelated and interdependent activities have emerged as the base for the major strategies for implementing the Programme: inter-university networks and international UNESCO Chairs. While individual chairs responding to specific needs are possible, the programme endeavours to create the proper conditions to allow each chair to be a focal point of a network or to be a part of a network.

The UNITWIN network on Interreligious studies

UNESCO CHAIRS on Interreligious studies

Australia

UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific School of Political and Social Inquiry, Monash University, Australia

France

UNESCO Chair 'Cultural and Religious Routes', CNRS, CERL, France
UNESCO Chair in Reciprocal Knowledge of the religions, Spiritual Traditions and their specific cultures, European Center for Hebraic Studies and Research, France

Georgia

UNESCO Chair in Intercultural Dialogue, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia

Israel

UNESCO Chair in Intercultural and Inter-religious Studies, University of Haifa, Israel
UNESCO Chair in Interfaith Studies, Elijah School of the Wisdom of the World Religions, Jerusalem, Israel

Kazakhstan

UNESCO Chair on Science and Spirituality, Institute for Oriental Studies, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

UNESCO Chair in the Study of Culture and Religion, Kyrgyz Russian-Slavic University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Lebanon

UNESCO Chair in Comparative Studies of Religions and Interfaith Dialogue, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon

Moldova

UNESCO Chair in Southeast European Studies, State University of Moldova, Republic of Moldova

Romania

Department-UNESCO Chair for the Study of Intercultural and Inter-religious Exchanges, University of Bucharest, Romania

Tunisia

UNESCO Chair in Comparative Studies of Religions, University of Tunis 1, Tunisia

United Kingdom

UNESCO Chair in Interfaith Studies, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

U.S.A.

UNESCO Chair in Transcultural Studies, Interreligious Dialogue, and Peace, University of Oregon, U.S.A.

Uzbekistan

UNESCO Chair in Comparative Studies of World Religions,Tashkent Islamic University, Uzbekistan

PARTNERS

UNESCO Chair in Comparative Religious Studies (592), established in 2002 at Saint-Joseph University, (Lebanon)

PARTNERSHIPS

College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon. Oregon Humanities Center

Center Leo Apostel (CLEA), Brussels Free University
(Brussels, Belgium)

Center for XX Century Studies, Milwaukee University, Milwaukee
(Wisconsin, USA)

European Society for Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) - Lund university, Department of Theology and Religious Studies
(Lund, Sweden)

The Elijah School for the Study of the Wisdom of the World Religions
(Jerusalem, Izrael)