The UNESCO Chair in “Innovative and Information Technologies in Higher Professional Education” was established following an Agreement signed between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the All-Russian State Tax Academy (ARSTA) of the Ministry of Finances of the Russian Federation. The Agreement was signed on 28 September 2010 by Mrs Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, and Professor A. P. Balakina, Rector of ARSTA.

The Chair’s mission is to develop an integrated system of research, teaching and learning, information and knowledge sharing on innovative uses ICT in higher professional education. The Chair is designed to serve as an intellectual hub promoting international co-operation and networking between internationally renowned experts and the academic staff from the Academy as well as from prestigious higher education institutions worldwide.

The Chair is engaged in the following areas of activity:

• professional development of academic staff in making innovative use of ICT in teaching;
• enhancing the efficiency of instruction and development of research on new methods and technologies in education, taking into account existing best practices at global level;
• use of ICT-enabled blended learning in order to reach students in remote regions of the Russian Federation;
• networking, knowledge- and resource-sharing with other UNESCO Chairs with a view to ensuring the continuous professional development of the academic staff;
• analyzing the feasibility of developing and using Open Educational Resources (OERs) for faculty in line with the recommendations of the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education;
• сontribution to international mobility and exchanges by encouraging academic staff and students to take part in international programmes, projects, conferences/workshops relevant for the Chair’s work.

The Chair holder is E. A. Khvilon, PhD, Vice-rector for International Relations.