The UNESCO Chairs program was conceived by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a way to advance research, training and programme development in higher education by building university networks and encouraging inter-university cooperation through transfer of knowledge across borders.
The program was established in 1992 following the decision taken at the 26th session of the General Conference of UNESCO.
As of May 2024, the programme involves some 950 institutions in 120 countries.