Project facts
Presentation
The project is grounded in the understanding that heritage interpreters are key players in preserving and communicating our heritage, and thereby in transmitting our shared European values related to cultural identity.
Nevertheless, the profession of heritage interpreters is not recognized in its complexity, reducing their skills to specific functions such as tour or nature guides.Their full recognition as specific professionals means understanding their ethics and responsibility in preserving and sharing our rich heritage, leading to greater awareness, sustainable tourism and a deeper appreciation of our heritage values.
The main reason for this lack of recognition is the absence of a comprehensive university curriculum for heritage interpretation. Although some training programmes exist in Europe, they only provide partial qualifications and fail to meet the needs of students and reduce skills mismatches.
Therefore, TEHIC has been designed to elevate the standards of the heritage interpreters profession and ensure the recognition it deserves at the European level. Through its higher education training programme, the project combines academic knowledge with practical expertise to deliver a well-rounded and high-quality training experience.
Impacts & Results
The main objective of TEHIC is to create a standardised training curriculum and related training contents in heritage interpretation that will contribute to the recognition and professionalisation of heritage interpreters and raise their employability.
The main outcome of the project will be the development of a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on heritage interpretation. The course will be designed to meet the criteria of academic training, but its format and flexibility will allow its use in other educational fields such as CVET and adult education.
In addition, the project will produce the following key results:
- Analysis of best practices in heritage interpretation, compiled in a comprehensive Best Practice Manual. Through case studies, trainees will have the opportunity of learning through real successful experiences and, for the first time, an exchange about the topic between the academic and professional sectors will be possible. TEHIC’s Handbook of Best Practices “Heritage Interpretation: A look from Europe” is now available.
- Creation of a training curriculum, modules and learning units dedicated to heritage interpretation. TEHIC will be the first project of its kind developing a university curriculum on heritage interpretation at EU level and linking the academic and professional perspectives.
- Raising awareness and understanding of Europe's natural and cultural heritage. TEHIC was planned in accordance with the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage, which seeks to promote a broader understanding of the ideals, principles, and values embedded in Europe's cultural heritage—particularly those underpinning European integration—by encouraging heritage education and interpretation.