The UNESCO Chairs programme, an international inter-university network established in 1991, has been constantly expanding ever since, particularly in Africa. The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs programme, managed by the Education Sector, is specially suitable for Africa. One of its main aims is to halt the “brain drain” from developing countries and promote the development of university networking and other cooperation agreements linking institutions of higher education at the interregional, regional and subregional levels. Special attention is paid to establishing cooperation among higher education institutions in developing countries (South-South cooperation).

Two types of closely related and interdependent activities are the chief tools used in carrying out the programme: inter-university networks and the international UNESCO Chairs. The number of UNESCO Chairs established in Africa is constantly on the increase. There are at present 63 of them, some of them coordinated by European inter-university networks. A full list of Chairs may be consulted (see www.unesco.org./education/educprog/unitwin/index.html).