UNESCO Institutes and Centres for Education

Today, six Institutes and two Centres specialized in education work as part of UNESCO's Education Sector to assist countries in tackling education problems of particular concern. UNESCO International Bureau of Education (IBE). International centre for the content and methods of education, founded in Geneva in 1925 as a private institution. In 1969, IBE joined UNESCO as an integral yet autonomous institution. UNESCO International Institute for Capacity-Building in Africa (IICBA). Work programme includes development of networks of teacher-education institutes in Africa. International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP). With an institutional mission to strengthen the capacity of countries to plan and manage their education systems, activities related to Small Island Developing States include a 1993 monograph on educational strategies for small island states, and an ongoing discussion and study of the role of e-learning in higher education. In the Caribbean, regional training workshops have been held on such topics as reforming school supervision for quality improvement (2001), developing indicators for planning basic education (2002, 2003) and education costs financing and budgeting (2003). In cooperation with the Grenada Ministry of Education, recent activities have included an institutional audit of the ministry and the preparation of an education sector diagnosis and a long-term education plan. Among intensive group training activities was that on the reform and governance of technical and vocational education and training, held in September 2005 in St Lucia. Managing university-enterprise relationships in the Caribbean regionwas the focus of a distance education course which took place from November 2005 to February 2006. Advisory missions to individual SIDS have included that on evaluation of educational reform in Seychelles (February 2006). UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (IITE). The work of this Moscow-based institute includes setting-up a clearing house and undertaking studies on the main trends in the application of ICTs in education. UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE). Particular focus on adult, non-formal and lifelong learning. UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC). Current priorities include implementing a plan of action for the transformation of higher education in the region. Activities include cooperation with the University of the West Indies in Mona (Jamaica) in the convening in November 2005 of a sub-regional meeting on higher education in the Caribbean. European Centre for Higher Education (CEPES). Located in Bucharest (Romania), promotes cooperation and reform in higher education in Europe. International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC). With Headquarters in Bonn (Germany), mandate is to improve education for the world of work. The website includes information on collaborating centres and focal points in over 20 SIDS.