The UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago and the National Council of Deans of Faculties of Education of Chilean Universities (CONFAUCE) signed a letter of intent consolidating a strategic alliance aimed at strengthening initial teacher education, promoting the generation and dissemination of knowledge, and contributing to the design of public policies grounded in evidence, cooperation and the exchange of experiences.
The agreement was signed on 27 July 2026 at UNESCO’s offices in Santiago, with representatives of both institutions reaffirming their commitment to a joint agenda addressing the main challenges related to teacher education, professional practice and career development.
This collaboration is framed within UNESCO’s Regional Teacher Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025–2030, which recognizes the strengthening of the teaching profession as an essential condition for advancing towards more inclusive and higher-quality education systems.
The letter of intent provides for the generation and dissemination of technical knowledge in strategic areas for the education system, including attracting students to teacher education programmes, strengthening initial teacher education, providing support throughout professional practice, and promoting continuous learning and professional development opportunities for teachers and educators.
The Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, Esther Kuisch Laroche, highlighted the importance of this collaboration in addressing the region’s educational challenges. “I am convinced that this alliance will contribute not only to strengthening teacher education in Chile, but also to sharing the country’s valuable experiences with Latin America and the Caribbean, thereby enriching a regional dialogue from which we can all learn,” she said.
For her part, Elizabeth Zepeda Varas, President of the National Council of Faculties of Education of Universities belonging to the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), stated: “This milestone is significant for education in Chile, as it brings together institutions with shared goals to promote spaces for dialogue and contribute jointly to the development of public policies, the strengthening of initial teacher education, and greater recognition of the role of teachers as key actors in education in Chile and Latin America.”
As a next step, UNESCO and CONFAUCE will develop a joint work programme and coordinate activities to progressively implement the commitments set out in the letter of intent.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/cooperation-strengthen-teaching-profession-unesco-and-confauce-forge-alliance-chile?hub=701
