Riyadh: The UNESCO Regional Center for Quality and Excellence in Education: On the occasion of International Youth Day 2026, launched the Global Youth Network for Quality and Excellence (GYNQE) in education, a youth-led global platform aimed at strengthening young people's participation in shaping the future of education, producing knowledge, developing innovative solutions, designing initiatives, and contributing to policy development and decision-making.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the network was launched with the participation of young people, experts, and representatives of international organizations, institutions, and youth networks from various regions of the world, supporting a shift in youth engagement from expressing views to sustained institutional participation in the development of education.
Director-General of the center Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mudaires stressed that young people are partners in development and in shaping the future, emphasizing the importance of moving their participation beyond symbolic representation toward institutional engagement in the design, implementation, and evaluation of educational initiatives and policies.
Assistant Director-General of the center Dr. Fatimah Al-Roais said the network seeks to turn the diversity of challenges facing young people into a source of innovation and educational solutions, empower them to participate in shaping policies, curricula, and learning environments, and build their capacities in digital technologies, artificial intelligence, critical thinking, and innovation.
The network's 2026-2027 activation plan is based on five stages covering launch and joining, establishment and governance, operation, expansion and impact, and sustainability and renewal. The plan aims to build a sustainable international youth platform with clear programs, outputs, and impact indicators.
The network includes a global youth council that takes into account geographical balance, cultural and linguistic diversity, and the representation of young people with disabilities and those affected by crises. The council will represent youth voices, participate in developing plans, propose initiatives, lead dialogues, and represent the network internationally.
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs and Head of the United Nations Youth Office Dr. Felipe Paullier underscored the importance of youth leadership in addressing technological transformations, inequality, conflicts, and climate challenges, investing in future skills, and ensuring equitable access to quality education and lifelong learning.
The launch reflects the center's efforts to institutionalize youth voices and link their participation to tangible educational impact, while creating sustainable opportunities for them to build a future that is more equitable, innovative, sustainable, and focused on quality. The network can be joined through the following link: https://gynqe.unesco.rcqe.org/.
