The United Nations Secretary-General announced on 19 June 2023 the establishment of a High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession supported by a joint UNESCO-ILO Secretariat. This decision recognizes UNESCO’s extensive expertise in supporting teachers. The objective of the Panel is to build upon the outcomes of the Transforming Education Summit (TES) in September 2022. Its primary focus is to ensure that every learner has access to a teacher who is professionally trained, qualified, and well-supported, operating within a reformed education system. Additionally, the Panel will draw upon the findings of the UNESCO-International Task Force on Teachers' Global Report, which will be published by the end of 2023.

According to Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, "From the rapid development of generative AI to the alarming climate crisis, the role of teachers has never been more crucial and central." She further emphasized, "We must improve their status and working conditions to make sure they are empowered, providing quality education and paving the way to a more equitable and sustainable future for generations to come. The establishment of this diverse High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession is an essential step in our collective efforts towards this goal."

The High-Level Panel capitalizes on the discussions conducted during the Transforming Education Summit (TES), delving into the topic further and providing clarification on the pivotal role of teachers in the process of education transformation. The panel will offer recommendations aimed at ensuring that each and every learner has access to a teacher who possesses professional training, qualifications, and robust support, enabling them to thrive within an education system that has undergone significant changes. The Panel’s report, to be submitted by end of November 2023, will serve as a contribution to broader efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, as an input to ongoing preparations for the 2024 Summit of the Future and help advance follow-up on the Transforming Education Summit (TES). The first meeting of the High-Level Panel will convene on 18 July 2023.

In another significant development in higher education, UNESCO convened the first session of the Intergovernmental Conference of the States Parties to the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education from 4 to 5 July 2023 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. The main objectives of the first session of the Intergovernmental Conference is to adopt the Rules of Procedure (RoP), elect a Bureau and adopt a work programme for 2023-2025. As the first worldwide UN treaty in higher education, the Global Convention ensures fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory recognition of higher education qualifications across regions. During the event, Fadi Yarak, Senior Advisor for Education in the Arab States, announced that UNESCO Multisectoral Regional office in the Arab States has been offering support and guidance, and calling on delegates to ensure that ratification is completed for the benefit of the region since the Global Convention was adopted in 2019.

In its participation in the first session, Tunisia was elected Vice-President of the Bureau of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. Tunisia has urged the need to develop specific programmes aimed at assisting countries in establishing suitable systems to recognize higher education qualifications. Additionally, Tunisia emphasizes the importance of enhancing capacity and fostering collaboration among relevant national institutions in this field.

It is worth mentioning that the Revised Convention on Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Arab States was adopted on 2/2/2022.