Inaugurated on 15–16 October 2026, the department of History will welcome its first students in January 2027.Its establishment was supported by UNESCO through its History and Peace Education Project, funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea through KOICA.
The new Department will offer two specialisations: history teaching and heritage management. It aims to prepare future history teachers and professionals who can contribute to documenting, researching and protecting Timor-Leste’s cultural heritage.
A particular focus will be placed on oral history and Timorese ways of knowing, including tara bandu and nahe biti. The Department also plans to draw on historical collections held by institutions such as the National Centre Chega!, the Archive and Museum of Timorese Resistance and the Max Stahl Audiovisual Centre.
Speaking at the inauguration, Vice Prime Minister, H.E. Mariano Assanami Sabino, who also serves as Interim Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture, underlined the role of history in helping young people understand their roots and the sacrifices of earlier generations. He called on national institutions to support the new Departments as part of Timor-Leste’s higher education reforms.
Students today are surrounded by information, including from artificial intelligence tools. The use of such tools must support their learning without depending on them, and to develop the critical thinking, research and verification skills needed to distinguish fact from error.
H.E. Mariano Assanami SabinoVice Prime Minister, Timor-Leste
Ms. Katsuno-Hayashikawa, Representative of UNESCO in Timor-Leste, reflected on the wider significance of history education for the country’s future.
History is not only about the past…It teaches critical thinking, the ability to weigh sources, and to listen to more than one voice. In a country that is consolidating peace and democracy, these are not academic luxuries. They are foundations for social cohesion and national development.
Ms. Katsuno-HayashikawaRepresentative of UNESCO in Timor-Leste
Building academics Partnerships
The two-day inauguration brought together Timorese academics and scholars from universities in Australia, Canda, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Portugal to discuss the Department’s academic development and opportunities for cooperation.
Discussions focused on curriculum development, history teaching and research, including ways to incorporate oral traditions and community memory into academic study. Several participating institutions offered support for the Department’s development, including opportunities to host students, co-supervise research, provide methodological training and facilitate access to historical archives.
Building on the historic step towards establishing Timor-Leste’s first university Department of History earlier this year, UNTL has continued preparing for its first students with support from national and international partners. Since July 2025, UNESCO has supported the Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences (FFCH-UNTL) through strategic planning, academic exchanges and capacity building, including ten seminars for future teaching staff between June and October 2026.
Preparing its first students
With its first cohort expected in January 2027, the Department is now focused on putting the academic and institutional arrangements in place for teaching to begin. Discussions during the inauguration identified several priorities, including securing teaching staff, facilities and funding, strengthening lecturers’ professional development, and developing a curriculum that reflects Timorese historical knowledge while encouraging critical inquiry.
The Department’s Strategic Plan sets out its ambition to become a centre of excellence for history teaching and research in Timor-Leste, with an emphasis on oral history, critical inquiry and the responsible preservation of historical sources.
As the Department prepares to open its doors to students, these efforts will help establish a foundation for future generations of Timorese historians, teachers and heritage professionals.
