Major European grant success for newly launched UCL Centre for Critical Heritage Studies

The new UCL Centre for Critical Heritage Studies,

ucl.ac.uk/news/staff/staff-news/June2016/A%20new%20UCL%20Centre%20for%20Critical%20Heritage%20Studies,%20launched%20late%20last%20month%20and%20based%20in%20the%20UCL%20Institute%20of%20Archaeology,%20has%20been%20successful%20in%20winning%20a%20c.%E2%82%AC3.9million%20grant%20to%20provide%20an%20international%20doctoral%20training%20programme.%20Participating%20with%20seven%20other%20European%20universities,%2021%20European%20heritage%20and%20museum%20sector%20partner%20organisations,%20and%20funded%20under%20the%20Horizon%202020%20MSCA-ITN-2016%20call%20for%20proposals%20for%20Marie%20Sk%C5%82odowska-Curie%20Innovative%20Training%20Networks,%20CHEurope-Critical%20Heritage%20Studies%20and%20the%20Future%20of%20Europe:%20Towards%20an%20integrated,%20interdisciplinary%20and%20transnational%20training%20model%20in%20cultural%20heritage%20research%20and%20management%20will%20focus%20on%20developing%20a%20new%20integrated%20theoretical%20and%20methodological%20framework%20to%20enhance%20academic%20and%20professional%20training%20and%20open%20future%20job%20opportunities%20in%20cultural%20heritage%20preservation,%20management%20and%20promotion.%20The%20training%20programme%20brings%20together%20a%20network%20of%20key%20European%20academic%20and%20non-academic%20organisations%20and%20will%20fund%2015%20PhD%20studentships%20to%20undertake%20practice-based%20research%20in%20partner%20institutions%20that%20connect%20students%20to%20their%20future%20job%20markets%20and%20publics.%20The%20programme%20will%20combine%20theoretical%20and%20instrumental%20knowledge%20at%20a%20transnational%20and%20interdisciplinary%20level,%20through%20a%20series%20of%20research%20seminars,%20summer%20schools%20and%20secondments,%20beginning%20in%20the%202016/17%20academic%20year.%20%20UCL-based%20researchers%20participating%20in%20the%20CHEurope%20network%20include%20Michael%20Rowlands,%20Beverley%20Butler,%20Andrew%20Flinn,%20Rodney%20Harrison,%20Anne%20Lanceley,%20and%20Julianne%20Nyhan.%20The%20UCL%20Centre%20for%20Critical%20Heritage%20Studies%20is%20funded%20under%20another%20successful%20c.%C2%A33.7m%20bid%20to%20the%20'University%20of%20Gothenburg%20Centers%20for%20Global%20Societal%20Challenges'%20call%20for%20research%20centre%20funding,%20awarded%20to%20Kristian%20Kristiansen%20and%20Ola%20Wetterberg%20at%20UG%20and%20Beverley%20Butler,%20Rodney%20Harrison%20and%20Mike%20Rowlands%20at%20UCL.%20%20The%20centre-which%20explores%20the%20overarching%20theme%20of%20'heritage%20as%20global%20challenge'-will%20act%20as%20a%20focal%20point%20for%20Critical%20Heritage%20Studies%20research%20across%20the%20UCL%20and%20UG%20and%20will%20be%20funded%20under%20this%20scheme%20for%206%20years%20from%20April%202016.%20It%20will%20conduct%20joint%20research,%20initially%20under%20five%20main%20thematic%20areas%20%E2%80%A2%20Making%20Global%20Heritage%20Futures%20%E2%80%A2%20Curating%20the%20City%20%E2%80%A2%20Embracing%20the%20Archive%20%E2%80%A2%20Heritage%20and%20Wellbeing%20%E2%80%A2%20Science%20and%20Heritage/Critical%20Conservation%20Studies%20The%20UCL%20Centre%20for%20Critical%20Heritage%20Studies%20currently%20involves%20researchers%20from%20a%20number%20of%20departments%20including%20the%20UCL%20Institute%20of%20Archaeology,%20UCL%20Department%20of%20Anthropology,%20UCL%20Department%20of%20Information%20Studies,%20and%20UCL%20Urban%20Laboratory.%20A%20number%20of%20activities%20are%20planned%20to%20bring%20together%20the%20wider%20UCL%20research%20community%20with%20interests%20in%20critical%20heritage%20studies%20over%20the%20coming%20year.%20" target="_self">launched late last month and based in the UCL Institute of Archaeology, has been successful in winning a c.€3.9million grant to provide an international doctoral training programme.

Participating with seven other European universities, 21 European heritage and museum sector partner organisations, and funded under the Horizon 2020 MSCA-ITN-2016 call for proposals for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks, 'CHEurope-Critical Heritage Studies and the Future of Europe: Towards an integrated, interdisciplinary and transnational training model in cultural heritage research and management' will focus on developing a new, integrated theoretical and methodological framework to enhance academic and professional training and open future job opportunities in cultural heritage preservation, management and promotion.

The training programme brings together a network of key European academic and non-academic organisations and will fund 15 PhD studentships to undertake practice-based research in partner institutions that connect students to their future job markets and public. The programme will combine theoretical and instrumental knowledge at a transnational and interdisciplinary level, through a series of research seminars, summer schools and secondments, beginning in the 2016/17 academic year. 

UCL-based researchers participating in the CHEurope network include Michael Rowlands, Beverley Butler, Andrew Flinn, Rodney Harrison, Anne Lanceley and Julianne Nyhan.

The UCL Centre for Critical Heritage Studies is funded under another successful c.£3.7m bid to the 'University of Gothenburg Centers for Global Societal Challenges' call for research centre funding, awarded to Kristian Kristiansen and Ola Wetterberg at University of Gothenburg (UG) and Beverley Butler, and Rodney Harrison and Mike Rowlands at UCL. 

The centre, which explores the overarching theme of 'heritage as global challenge', will act as a focal point for critical heritage studies research across UCL and UG and will be funded under this scheme for six years from April 2016. It will conduct joint research, initially under five main thematic areas:

• Making Global Heritage Futures
• Curating the City
• Embracing the Archive
• Heritage and Wellbeing
• Science and Heritage/Critical Conservation Studies

The UCL Centre for Critical Heritage Studies currently involves researchers from a number of departments including the UCL Institute of Archaeology, UCL Department of Anthropology, UCL Department of Information Studies, and UCL Urban Laboratory. A number of activities are planned to bring together the wider UCL research community with interests in critical heritage studies over the coming year.