The International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) was established as a UNESCO category 2 center in 2011. Working within the framework of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, we operate information and networking programs to support UNESCO’s strategic plans among the forty-eight Member States of the Asia-Pacific region, with the ultimate goal of promoting the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals through intangible cultural heritage. We believe that safeguarding intangible cultural heritage is necessary to promote cultural diversity and sustainable development in the region.

“The National Research Institute of Culture Heritage (NRICH) aims to serve as a leading light for all those engaged in research on cultural heritage.” Cultural heritage items that have formed naturally or artificially over many years are valuable properties not only for the people of their country of origin but for all humankind due to their historic, artistic, and academic value, and their natural beauty in the case of landscapes. As such, it is every country’s duty to survey and study them and to preserve them for future generations.

The Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS) is an autonomous self-governing body for development and promotion of sciences in Mongolia. In 1275, the Great Khaan Khubilai established the first academic institution of the nation called “The Academy of Worthies”. Mongolia’s first Center of Modern Sciences was founded in 1921 when the government of newly independent Mongolia issued a resolution declaring the establishment of “The Institute of Literature and Scripts”. This istitute have been expanded its function, role and status in 1931 which named the State Committee of Science and Higher education. The Committee was reorganized in 1961 by the Decree of the Presidium of the Great People’s Hural (Assembly) of the Mongolian People’s Republic; this was the foundation of the current MAS. In 1996, The Mongolia Academy of Science officially defined its statutes by the “Law on the Legal Status of MAS” with 21 research institutes which were adopted by the Mongolian Parliament on May 23. The currently, Mongolian Academy of Sciences consists from 10 research institutes.

Keimyung University was founded in 1899 with the establishment of Jejungwon, a humanitarian aid hospital, and, therefore, we are now celebrating our 119th anniversary this year. At the last commencement ceremony, all the freshmen shouted together “Jal gareuchineun daehak, jal baeuneun daehak, ACE daehak”, meaning Keimyung University excels both in teaching and learning. That motto clearly reflects the teaching philosophy of Keimyung’s founders and the university’s pride in the excellence of our teaching abilities.

The first proposal for launching the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad was announced concurrently with the establishment of Tehran University in 1934. However, the first step was converting the Higher Institute of Public Health to a Medical Faculty in 1949. Shortly after, the Medical Faculty admitted its first group of medical students, and in December 1949 this institute was officially inaugurated as the first Center for Medical Sciences in the North East of Iran by the Minister of Culture, the late Dr. Zanganeh. Finally in 1956 after the foundation of the facultys of Literature and Theology, the complex was named "Mashhad University". Later on in 1957, the rules and regulations for employment and education of Tehran University were adopted for use in this new university. Since then other faculties have been gradually added to the university based on the local demand. These are the Faculty of Science (1961), the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Agriculture (1973), the Faculty of Engineering (1975), the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences (1987), the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (1991), the Faculty of Mathematics (1996), the Faculty of Architecture, the Faculty of Urbanism and Islamic Arts, and the Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment (2001). In 1975 after the separation of the facultys related to the Medical Sciences from the university, the name of the university was changed from "Mashhad University” to "The Ferdowsi University of Mashhad". The Ferdowsi University of Mashhad has now nearly seven decades of brilliant educational, research and cultural history and it is well known among institutes of higher education in Iran. It is currently one of the nation’s top three universities and also the largest center of higher education in the North East of Iran. At present, the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad is composed of 12 facultys, 38 research centers, 7 centers of excellence, 820 faculty members (%50 of whom are professors or associate professors), over 20000 students (9996 undergraduate, 6143 Masters, and 3905 Ph.D. students), and 1050 staff members. Currently, 1279 foreign students are enrolled in different academic programs at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. In addition, there are also 187 foreign students who are passing their six-month training courses in language at the International Center for Teaching Persian to Non-Persian Speakers. These students would begin their academic education after they pass this six-month course of study.

An education based on the interconnectedness of the world that we live in, addressing global challenges we face, and allowing learners to critically think and take action: these are the tenets of Global Citizenship Education (GCED), aiming to prepare learners for the challenges of the 21st century. Facing conflict and global challenges that cross national borders, the pressing need for GCED has never been so clear. Since our establishment in 2000 through an Agreement between UNESCO and the Government of the Republic of Korea, APCEIU has put forth its utmost efforts in search of measures to empower learners with such values. APCEIU has strived to become an influential catalyst of GCED through the following main programme areas: capacity-building of educators, research and policy development, dissemination of information, development of teaching/learning materials and international teacher exchange programme. As Mme Irina Bokova remarked during her visit to our institution, APCEIU is “fulfilling UNESCO’s mandate through various programmes of Education for International Understanding and Global Citizenship Education.” Furthermore, APCEIU’s consistent efforts were brought to light during the 2015 World Education Forum where GCED emerged as one of the post-2015 education agenda, and in turn, APCEIU was able to receive the attention and warm support from worldwide leaders and delegates. Recognizing the growing significance of GCED, APCEIU is committed to building a culture of peace through this new education initiative. I strongly believe that it is through a collective commitment that our goal towards building a more peaceful and sustainable world can be achieved.

Kazan University is one of the oldest universities in Russia - it celebrated its 210th anniversary in 2014. We considered this milestone as another token of the university's dedication to its longstanding academic mission as one of the leading educational institutions in Russia and in the world. Kazan University has gained its international fame thanks to its distinguished scholars and graduates whose achievements have had a beneficial effect on the whole mankind. The unique culture of our University has shaped the development of Kazan and the Volga region. The University's new federal status obtained in 2010 poses new interesting challenges and calls for new approaches in the rapidly changing world. Today, Kazan Federal University is a dynamic modern University which participates in local and international cooperation, networking with academia and industry, boosting the region's human resources development, as well as top-level research and innovation in different areas. Multiple centers of excellence and world-class research and teaching laboratories have been established in recent years. Our participation in the Project 5-100 designates our determination to reach the highest levels of global educational rankings. What we have achieved up to now is an evidence of the right choice of strategy – from a classical to a research university where entrepreneurial and innovative activities are prominently represented.