Institutes and Centres

As part of UNESCO's efforts and commitment to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, UNESCO has brought to life different institutes around the world.

Category 1 Institutes and Centres

They are institutionally and legally part of UNESCO and are considered an integral part of the Organization's Programme and Budget. There are a total of ten Category 1 Institutes and Centres. Of these, eight of them are education-related:

Category 2 Institutes and Centres under the auspices of UNESCO

Category 2 Institutes and Centres (C2Cs) under the auspices of UNESCO forma global network of institutions of excellence in the Organization’s fields of competence. Leveraging their expertise, these institutes and centres significantly contribute to the implementation of UNESCO’s priorities, programmes, and global development agendas.

The designation as a C2C offers these institutions global visibility, access to international and intergovernmental networks, and the prestige of being associated with UNESCO. This partnership also comes with responsibilities, including alignment with UNESCO’s priorities and active participation in relevant initiatives.

Currently,more than 130 C2Cs support UNESCO’s mission by engaging in research, capacity-building, policy development, and knowledge sharing across its various fields of competence. These C2Cs are listed below by UNESCO fields of competence.

The legal and management framework for C2Cs is established by the 2019 UNESCO Strategy for C2Cs, adopted by the UNESCO General Conference at its 40th session in November 2019.