On 29 and 30 April 2026, UNESCO, with the generous support of the Korean Heritage Service, Republic of Korea, convened a follow-up virtual meeting on Strengthening World Heritage Higher Education in Africa.
The online meeting marked the transition from consultation to project implementation based on the virtual brainstorming of February 2026, which brought together more than 100 experts from 28 African countries and partner universities from 13 countries outside Africa. The meeting focused on the next phase of UNESCO's work to institutionalize world heritage education in African universities and heritage schools. It brought together five pilot institutions – Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal, University of Yaoundé II in Cameroon, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, African Wildlife Management College, Mweka in the United Republic of Tanzania and the University of Cape Town in South Africa – as well as the École du Patrimoine Africaine (EPA) in Benin.
The two-day discussions helped define institution-specific priorities, academic and technical needs, and roadmap elements for Phase 2 in the second year of the project. Participants underlined that World Heritage higher education in Africa must move beyond short-term workshops to long-term capacity-building, including accredited qualifications, resource centres, professional pathways, mentoring, digital tools and stronger connections between universities, heritage institutions and communities.
The meeting also discussed the establishment of a comprehensive 30-university network by linking the existing 25-university network with five pilot universities and EPAs. This network, including UNESCO Chairs and partner institutions, is expected to support peer learning, curriculum exchange, shared resource persons, joint research, teaching materials and quality-assurance mechanisms.
A key feature of the meeting was the contribution of UNESCO's education sector, which presented how the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chair Program can support academic collaboration, research, curriculum development and knowledge exchange within the emerging network. It reflects UNESCO's broader approach to working at the nexus of culture and education, mobilizing expertise and resources to support Member States through policy development and cross-cutting actions.
Looking ahead, UNESCO and its partners will support participating institutions in preparing a practical Phase 2 roadmap, including curriculum modules, short vocational courses, resource centres, expert directories and mechanisms for inter-university collaboration. With the continued support of the Korean Heritage Service, Republic of Korea, this initiative aims to strengthen African leadership in world heritage education and prepare a new generation of professionals to identify, protect, manage and promote Africa's cultural and natural heritage.
For further information, please contact: Rouran Zhang, Program Coordinator, UNESCO World Heritage Centre: (email protected)