The UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme was set up in 1992 to anchor UNESCO’s mission at higher education institutions. It promotes research, education and the further development of universities by creating university networks and promoting inter-university and cross-border cooperation. Today, around 950 chairs and 45 university networks in 120 countries are part of the UNESCO programme – Austria is currently represented by twelve UNESCO Chairs. Find out more in the information brochure on the right-hand side of this page.

UNESCO Chairs in Austria

• UNESCO Chair in Learning and Teaching Futures Literacy in the Anthropocene                   
  University College of Teacher Education Lower Austria (since 2024)                                                                                                                      Chairholder: Carmen Sippl                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Co-Chairholder: Karin Tengler                 
• UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation and Entrepreneurship                                                                                                             MCI Innsbruck (since 2023)
  Chairholder: Antje Bierwisch
• UNESCO Chair for Digital Humanism
  Vienna University of Technology (since 2023)
  Chairholder: Peter Knees 
  Co-Chairholder: Julia Neidhardt
• UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Techniques and Futures Design
  Linz University of Arts (since 2021)
  Chairholder: Michael Shamiyeh
• UNESCO Chair for Global Citizenship Education – Culture of Diversity and Peace
  University of Klagenfurt (since 2020)
  Chairholder: Hans Karl Peterlini
• UNESCO Chair for Sustainable Management of Conservation Areas
  Kärnten University of Applied Sciences (since 2020)
  Chairholder: Michael Jungmeier
• UNESCO-Chair for Conservation and Preservation of Tangible Cultural Heritage 
  University of Applied Arts Vienna (since 2019)
  Chairholder: Gabriela Krist
• UNESCO Chair for Human Rights and Human Security
  University of Graz (since 2016)
  Chairholder: Gerd Oberleitner
• UNESCO Chair on Bioethics
  Medical University of Vienna (since 2015)
  Chairholder: Christiane Druml
• UNESCO Chair on Integrated River Research and Management
  University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (since 2014)
  Chairholder: Helmut Habersack
• UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage and Tourism
  Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (since 2011)
  Chairholder: Kurt Luger
• UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies
  University of Innsbruck (since 2008)
  Chairholder: Rina Alluri
• UNESCO-Chair in Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue for South-East Europe
  University of Graz (since 2007)
  Chairholder: Pablo Argárate