UNESCO-CEPES (Centre Européen pour l’Enseignement Supérieur – CEPES) was established in 1972 at Bucharest, Romania, as a de-centralized office for the European Centre for Higher Education. The centre was closed in 2011 due to lack of funding. The centre promoted international cooperation in the sphere of higher education among UNESCO's Member States in Central, Eastern and South-East Europe and also served Canada, the United States and Israel. Higher Education in Europe, a scholarly publication focusing on major problems and trends in higher education, was the official journal of UNESCO-CEPES. The CEPES headquarters was in the Kretzulescu Palace in Bucharest.
| Central Europe | Eastern Europe | South-Eastern | Other regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Estonia | Albania | Belgium |
| Czech Republic | Latvia | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Denmark |
| Croatia | Lithuania | Bulgaria | Finland |
| France | Republic of Moldova | Cyprus | Holy See |
| Germany | Ukraine | Republic of Macedonia | Ireland |
| Hungary | Republic of Montenegro | Malta | |
| Italy | Turkey | Netherlands | |
| Liechtenstein | Norway | ||
| Poland | Portugal | ||
| Romania | Spain | ||
| Serbia | Sweden | ||
| Slovakia | UK | ||
| Slovenia | Canada | ||
| Switzerland | USA | ||
| Israel |
On 21 September 1972, as the only intergovernmental Centre for Higher Education in Europe region, North America and Israel, UNESCO European Centre for Higher Education (Centre Européen pour l’Enseignement Supérieur – CEPES) was established in Bucharest. The early mission of the CEPES was to encourage cooperation, to disseminate information, and to research modern trends in higher education within the Europe Region. In the early 1990s, with the fall of the communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe, the role of UNESCO-CEPES extended its round has been broader.
on this endeavour, the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme constituted "a major breakthrough with regard to the reinforcement of inter-university co-operation at the sub-regional, regional and interregional levels as a means to improve the quality in higher education as well as to strengthen national capabilities for higher level training and research in the developing countries."
In April 1997, the joint Council of Europe/UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region was adopted, and UNESCO-CEPES assumed a Co-Secretariat function to the convention. From the late 1990s, the Centre gradually more co-worked on European Union projects aimed at the reform of higher education in Eastern and Central Europe and reinforced its cooperation with international organisations such as World Bank, OECD, and others.
In September 2003, UNESCO-CEPES was nominated a consultative member of the Follow-up Group of the Bologna Process (BFUG), charged with the accomplishment of Bologna Process goals, and the actualisation of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
On 25 September 2009, according as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between UNESCO and the Romanian Government on transitional arrangements for UNESCO-CEPES, The MoU realigns the centre's mandate with the new education landscape in Europe and provides that during the 2010-2011 period. CEPES will focus on addressing the needs of higher education of UNESCO's Member States in Central, Eastern and South-East Europe.
On 31 December 2011, the centre was closed as funding was not ensured by the Government of Romania or other countries in the region, which is a requirement for all UNESCO Regional Centres.
The UNESCO European Centre for Higher Education/Centre européen pour l'enseignement supérieur (CEPES) promotes co-operation and provides technical support in the field of higher education among UNESCO's Member States in Central, Eastern and South-East Europe.
Specifically UNESCO-CEPES:
| Date | Events |
|---|---|
| 9 March 2010 | Reception for Presentation of the Book Collection "Patrimoniul Umanităţii din România". |
| 4–5 March 2010 | Romanian Research Assessment Exercise, organized by UEFISCSU |
| 24 February 2010 | Programme Planning Meeting, organized by UNICEF |
| 18 February 2010 | Mutual Learning Workshop, organized by UEFISCSU |
| 3 December 2009 | Stakeholders Engagement Day, organized by Accountability and Aston Eco Management Company |
| 20 November 2009 | UN Convention Day for the Right of the Child, organized by ONG Romanian Federation for Children |
| 26–30 October 2009 | The Art Exhibition organized by UNESCO-CEPES on the occasion of UN DAY 2009 |
| 23 October 2009 | Opening Ceremony of the Art exposition "Our World; Our Climate" |
| 27 September 2009 | First Forum on Energy Efficiency in Romania |
| 24–25 September 2009 | Systems Thinking for Foresight: The case of Romanian Higher Education System |
Including UNESCO-CEPES, there are many institutes and centres on the world that UNESCO established. following lists work as part of UNESCO's Education Programme to assist countries to tackle challenges in education.
Africa
Europe and North America
Latin America and Caribbean
Centres under the auspices of UNESCO
The five centres under the auspices of UNESCO (category 2) complement and expand UNESCO's education programme.
New centres and institutes to be established
Partner International Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations Operating in the Field of (Higher) Education Reform and Policy Development
Support Organizations of UNESCO – CEPES Activities