Research strategy

At our communityi-focussed institute, our vision is a world that engages with heritage, appreciates its value and participates fully in its protection. We explore the potential of citizens to engage with the possibilities of heritage to make life more sustainable. We directly impact professional communities by supporting heritage groups, companies and decision-makers through our research and teaching.   

Based on our lived experience, these are the values we uphold: 

• Collaborative spirit 
• Excellence in teaching, with a focus on integrating research and teaching 
• Open and thoughtful interdisciplinary research engagement 
• Academic leadership and excellence 
• Addressing global challenges 
• Transforming the student experience 
• Innovation in research and teaching  
• Entrepreneurial thinking 
• Recognition and nurturing of talent 
• Holistic understanding of institutional and societal values 

In 2001, the then Centre for Sustainable Heritage launched the idea of cultural heritage at the disciplinary crossroads of research and teaching.  Over the next decade, we embraced  contributions from various disciplines and partners to enhance the understanding, accessibility, and protection of cultural heritage.  

After our re-launch as the UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage (ISH), in recognition of our significant achievements - the AHRC/EPSRC Science and Heritage Programme (2007-2015) and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology (2014-2022), ISH is on track to become the global leader in cross-disciplinary collaborative heritage research and innovative teaching.  

The sustainability of our heritage and the benefits derived from cultural heritage by humanity at a global, national, community, and individual levels will be enhanced as a direct result of the work of ISH. We will accomplish this by directly addressing grand societal challenges such as:  

• Sustainable development  
• Technological advancements relevant to modern and digital heritage  
• Climate change and emergency  
• Improved well-being  
• Equality, inclusivity and social justice  

To achieve this vision, ISH will deliver on the following objectives: 

• Develop cross-disciplinary research: approaches, questions and methods 
• Foster innovative, research-led teaching  
• To explore the interface of arts, humanities, natural, social and physical science disciplines through research and teaching  
• Advance and integrate heritage research theory, practice and policy 
• Develop entrepreneurship and innovation in the heritage domain 
• Achieve recognition for excellence in specific areas of scientific expertise within the heritage science domain 
• Build strong research partnerships within UCL and beyond  
• Lead in pedagogical innovation  
• Disseminate our academic work systematically through policy, professional, practice and public platforms 
• Promote heritage research and science research through active public engagement  

We will achieve these objectives by focussing on 3 interconnected pillars of research, which are visionary, aligned with national and international heritage strategies, relevant to the heritage sector, and built on our current research strengths:

1. Heritage Science

2. Heritage Management

3. Heritage Policy

The pillars address strategic, urgent, novel, and complex research questions unique to each area. However, to maximise impact and address complex research questions, synergy across these pillars is essential. For example, studying the degradation of plastic heritage materials can involve both physical and social science methods, leading to standards for their conservation. Similarly, improving the energy performance of heritage buildings involves engineering analysis and can produce useful tools for policymakers. Additionally, understanding how policymakers envision urban heritage futures can inform urban policies using methods developed by heritage scientists. 

Heritage Science

Heritage science is an interdisciplinary domain focussed on the scientific study of heritage,  drawing from humanities, sciences, and engineering disciplines. It focuses on enhancing the understanding, care and sustainable use of heritage so it can enrich people's lives, both today and in the future. ISH has been a leader in the development of heritage science since our establishment. Heritage science delivers scientific evidence in support of sustainable management of heritage and its academic understanding. Through synergies with the heritage management and heritage policy pillars, the heritage science pillar enables scientific research of tangible, intangible and digital heritage, always in dialogue with curatorial enquiry. We  pride ourselves on being a leading voice in heritage science research infrastructure development as well as in engaging with heritage industries.  

Research Examples: 

• Experimental Heritage Science: Conducting laboratory-based research on tangible heritage for risk assessment and preventive conservation. 
• Citizen Heritage Science: Employing participatory methods to enhance heritage value and visitor experience. 
• Multisensory Heritage: Enhancing human interaction with heritage through multisensory experiences. 
• Climate Change: Monitoring climate impacts on cultural heritage and developing future scenarios. 
• Data Science for Cultural Heritage: Using data-intensive methods to understand heritage processes, including AI and systems thinking. 
• Digitisation of Heritage: Developing methods for digital capture of heritage for study, engagement, or conservation.

Heritage Management 

Heritage Management is a growing interdisciplinary field that integrates theories and methods from humanities, social, physical and natural sciences in order to evaluate and inform the management processes related to heritage such as documentation, value assessment, protection, access, interpretation, maintenance and sustainable development. ISH is pioneering participatory approaches to heritage management, enhancing the socio-economic, cultural and, environmental contributions of heritage. 

Research Examples:  

• Heritage Risk and Resilience: Addressing heritage challenges in disaster, post-war and climate change contexts. 
• Energy Efficiency: Balancing energy efficiency, heritage values, and thermal comfort in historic areas. 
• Transformative Heritage: Promoting heritage-led urban and rural transformations aligned with sustainable development goals. 
• Participatory Heritage: Implementing inclusive and bottom-up approaches, including public engagement and citizen science. 
• Heritage Dynamics: Analysing the interactions between heritage materiality, values, environment, and societal practices. 
• Heritage Values: Understanding who values heritage, how values change over time, and their impact on conservation decisions. 

Heritage Policy

Heritage policy encompasses public policies, standards, and guidance at various levels. We aim to produce evidence-based contributions to heritage policy, supporting partners in anticipating strategic challenges and managing change.  

Research Examples: 

• Anticipation and Foresight: Understanding future perspectives within the heritage sector and enhancing reflexive thinking. 
• Algorithmic Heritage: Investigating the impact of algorithms on heritage preservation and policy. 
• Environmental Standards: Developing new standards to address environmental challenges. 
• Public Policy Networks: Exploring evolving mechanisms connecting activists, campaigners, and researchers with policy teams. 

By fostering collaboration across these pillars, ISH aims to advance the field of heritage research, making significant contributions to heritage management, science, and policy.