Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Korea to UNESCO

1. Summary

• Since its foundation, UNESCO’s Education Sector is the largest and highest priority sector at the UNESCO, implementing education programmes such as the establishment of international normative instruments, the support for strengthening the capacity building of Member States and the reinforcement of various educational networks with a view to contributing to the promotion of access to education and quality education for all.
• In particular, SDG4(Quality Education) of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) embodied “Education 2030” through the Incheon Declaration adopted at the World Education Forum 2015 (Incheon, Republic of Korea). Then UNESCO, as the United Nations’ specialized agency for education was entrusted to play a leading role in the implementation of the SDG4-Education 2030 agenda with its partners.

2. Main Projects

Implementation of the SDG4-Education 2030

• To cover the overall educational objectives that the international community should cooperate to promote sustainable development taking over the spirit and goals of Education For All(EFA) and Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).
• To support policy development and action plan in national/regional/global level aiming to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” with 7 outcome targets and 3 means of implementation.
• To coordinate the SDG4-Education 2030 Steering Committee and publish the Global Education Monitoring Report(GEMR).

Global Citizenship Education (GCED)

• Aims to educate responsible citizens who acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes about universal peace, human rights, diversity and become active promoters of more peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure and sustainable societies. It was initiated by the Global Education First Initiative(GEFI) from the UN Secretary-General in 2012.
• In particular, the Government of the Republic of Korea is making its utmost effort to revitalize the GCED capacity building programmes and information sharing through the APCEIU(Asia-Pacific Center of Education for International Understanding under the auspices of UNESCO as Category 2 Center).

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

• Aims to improve access to quality education on sustainable development at all levels and in all social contexts through the ESD international practice programmes.

Literacy Education

• To promote literacy as an intrinsic part of the right to education.
• UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize, established in 1989 aims to reward the efforts of institutions, organizations, or individuals for their contribution to the fight illiteracy in commemoration of King Sejong.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

• Aims to address economic, social and environmental demands by helping youth and adults develop the skills they need for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
• 'Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR)' project (phase I and phase II) is a good example of Korea Fund-in-Trust project which aims to support the teacher capacity building and the development of TVET curricula in Africa.

ICT in Education

• To support ICT in education including mobile education for the purpose of improving the quality of education.
• Implementation of UNESCO-Korea Fund-in-Trust project entitled ‘ICT Transforming Education in Africa’.

Building Global Education Networks

• NESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet) : Established in 1953, ASPnet member schools work in support of international understanding, peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education in practice.
• UNITWIN (University Twinning and Networking) / UNESCO Chairs Programme : Launched in 1992, the UNITWIN and UNESCO Chairs Programme promote international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work.