The office for Global Engagement has had a history of working with the United Nations in bringing many global dignitaries to campus. Since 2017, UVU became an associated member of the UN Department of Global Communications, and took the lead to promote the global 2030 agenda for sustainable development. In a spirit of continuing to further the global 2030 agenda, in 2024, Dr. Baldomero Lago and Dr. Maritza Sotomayor applied to UNESCO, seeking to house a UNESCO Chair at UVU. In February 2025, UNESCO in Paris awarded Utah Valley University the UNESCO Chair on Al, Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Futures.
A UNESCO Chair is a team led by a higher education or research institution that partners with UNESCO on a project to advance knowledge and practice in an area of common priority. There are currently some 1000 UNESCO Chairs.
UNITWIN Network is a partnership between UNESCO and a network of higher education or research institutions of at least three institutions in different countries, at least two of which must be located in the Global South, and which pool their competencies and resources around particular theme(s). There are currently some 45 UNITWIN Networks.
