UNESCO has designated 98 International and Regional Institutes and Centres as Category 2 under the auspices of UNESCO.

Though not legally part of the Organization, these Institutes and Centres are associated with UNESCO through formal arrangements approved by the General Conference. They are selected upon proposal by Member State(s), based on the strength of their specialization in one of UNESCO's fields of competence. Through capacity-building knowledge sharing and research, thery provide a valuabe and unique contribution to the implementation of UNESCO's strategic programme objectives for the benefits of the Member States.

These Category 2 Institutes and centres are related to different programme sectors of UNESCO, namely, the Education Sector, Natural Sciences Sector, Social and Human Sciences Sector, Culture Sector, Communication and Information Sector, as well as the International Hydrological Programme.

There are 9 Category 2 Centers under the auspices of UNESCO that are located in China , including the International Knowledge Centre for Engineering Sciences and Technology (IKCEST) in Beijing and the International Centre on Global-scale Geochemistry in Langfang, both newly approved at the 37th General Conference in November 2013.

General information related to the 7 older Category 2 Centres in China is as follows:

International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES)

The International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) was jointly set up by the Government of China and UNESCO on July 21, 1984, in Beijing, China. The Ministry of Water Resources is the governmental executive agency.

Since its founding, IRTCES has devoted itself to research and training to solve scientific and engineering problems related to erosion and sedimentation, and is one of the most important representatives of China as a partner of UNESCO. IRTCES has conducted many international and domestic technical cooperative research and consulting programs and projects related to erosion and sedimentation, and organized international and domestic training courses, symposia, and workshops. It publishes the International Journal of Sediment Research, the Gazette of River Sediment in China, and other Chinese and English publications. IRTCES awards the Chien Ning Prize for outstanding sediment researchers and engineers. It is the organizer and promoter of the National Information Network of Erosion and Sedimentation and the Sediment Measurement and Research Team.

International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED)

International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED) is a UNESCO category 2 centre and the only agency engaged in research and training for rural education under the auspices of UNESCO. INRULED is commissioned to initiate and facilitate activities focused on exchange and popularization of experiences for international rural education within the broader framework of Education-for-All (EFA), to undertake human resource training programs for international rural education, and to serve extensively the UNESCO member countries, especially the global developing countries.

World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO(WHITR-AP)

WHITR-AP is a non-profit organization specialized in the area of heritage conservation. Furthermore, as a category 2 institute under the auspices of UNESCO, it is the first one that established in the developing countries. It will be an autonomous institution at the service of Member States and Associate Members of UNESCO. The Institute's mission is to strengthen implementation of World Heritage Convention in the Asia and the Pacific region, by building the capacity of all those professionals and bodies involved with World Heritage site inscription, protection, conservation and management in the Asia and the Pacific region, through training, research, the dissemination of information and network building.

The International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO(IRCK)

According to the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Concerning the Establishment and Operation of the International Research Center on Karst in Guilin, China, under the Auspices of UNESCO, which was signed on February 11, 2008 in UNESCO headquarters, Paris, the International Research Center on Karst (IRCK) was set up on December 15, 2008. As the first category II centre concerning geosciences under the auspices of UNESCO and in the framework of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP), the establishment of IRCK is of great significance to international geosciences. As one of the international institutes of the Chinese Academy of geological Sciences, IRCK is hosted within the premises of the Institute of Karst Geology (IKG), which provides contributions of material and otherwise to the establishment and operation of IRCK.

International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the Auspices of UNESCO（HIST）

The International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST), a category-II centre under the auspices of UNESCO, was proposed to UNESCO by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in May 2007. The proposal was approved by the 35th General Conference of UNESCO in October 2009, and ratified by the State Council of China in April 2011. On 24 July, 2011, the launching ceremony of HIST was held in Beijing. This is the first UNESCO centre applying space technologies to the monitoring and conservation of world natural and cultural heritage sites. The centre is hosted by the Center for Earth Observation and Digital Earth (CEODE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO（CRIHAP）

The International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO (hereinafter referred to as "CRIHAP") is an international institution in the field of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) established in Beijing, China on 22nd February 2012 under the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and UNESCO.

As a regional and international organization and coordinating agency in the field of ICH under the auspices of UNESCO, CRIHAP is committed to conducting international training activities in the field of ICH, proactively building up a regional and international exchange and cooperation platform, engaging in the implementation of the Global Capacity-Building Strategy of UNESCO for strengthening national capacities for implementing the Convention, and making contributions to ICH safeguarding undertakings in the Asia-Pacific Region and worldwide.

International Research and Training Centre for Science and Technology Strategy under the Auspices of UNESCO (CISTRAT)

In November 2011, the 36th Session of General Conference of UNESCO approved of the proposal of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People's Republic of China to establish the International Research and Training Centre for Science and Technology Strategy (CISTRAT) – a Category II Centre under the auspices of UNESCO. On May 14, 2012, H.E. WAN Gang, Minister of Science and Technology of China, and H.E. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on behalf of the Chinese Government and UNESCO respectively, signed the Agreement regarding the establishment of CISTRAT. CISTRAT is based in Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED), a research institute affiliated to MOST. It will act as an international platform for research and training on science, technology and innovation policy.