The ARCHE workshop in collaboration with the SMACH Forum will take place at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, on June 3-4, 2025, bringing together leading experts, policymakers, and cultural heritage professionals to discuss policy and management strategies for the South Eastern European heritage sector and the Mediterranean.
The workshop will serve as a platform for discussions on cultural heritage policies, research, and sustainable management strategies, with a focus on fostering collaboration between European integrating activities in cultural heritage research and Southeast European and Mediterraneaen stakeholders. It represents a significant opportunity for cultural heritage professionals, researchers, and decision-makers to contribute to the advancement of policy frameworks and collaborative research initiatives in the field of cultural heritage.
The key topics will include:
• Introduction to ARCHE, outlining its role as the foundation for the European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage.
• Presentation of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which will guide future research and policy initiatives in cultural heritage preservation and management.
• Introductions to E-RIHS, the European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science, and ECCCH, the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage.
• Integration of regional decision-makers into European cultural heritage research integration frameworks.
• Examination of existing partnerships, research innovation strategies, and funding opportunities.
• Stakeholder engagement through a dedicated questionnaire, aimed at mapping the needs of cultural heritage professionals, policymakers, and researchers in South Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.
For further information and updates, please stay tuned for registration details and the final workshop agenda.
About the SMACH Forum
The SMACH Forum (Sustainable Management of Cultural Heritage) builds on the legacy of the SMACH project (2021-2022), which established a robust EU-Southeast Europe network for knowledge exchange on sustainable cultural heritage management, particularly in response to climate change challenges. Co-funded by the Central European Initiative, the SMACH Forum engages leading institutions such as Venice International University, the University of Ljubljana, and the University of Rome Tor Vergata, as well as academic and research partners across Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia.
What is the Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe?
The Alliance for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe (ARCHE) is a three-year EU-funded Horizon project that started in September 2022 to develop a pan-European framework for a holistic approach to Research and Innovation in Cultural Heritage. The project consortium consists of 24 partners from 18 countries and is coordinated by the Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine (France). Through a series of workshops, ARCHE will develop a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for Cultural Heritage and demonstrate the added value of international collaboration in the future European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage.
What is the European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage?
The European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage (RCH) is a European Commission proposal for a European Partnership under the Research and Innovation Cluster 2: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society. A European Partnership is primarily funded through Member States contributions, with supplementary funding from the European Commission. The aim of the RCH is twofold: to strengthen the means of preserving Europe’s cultural heritage and to contribute to climate neutrality in other sectors by bringing forward traditional and innovative practices, techniques and materials resulting from cultural heritage research. It will address two main challenges: 1) the limited research and evidence regarding adaptation strategies and the impact of climate and environmental change on cultural heritage; and 2) the need for enhanced understanding, use and recognition of how cultural heritage can inform policies and guide implementation measures, including the role of traditional and local knowledge. RCH is first Partnership addressing social sciences and humanities to be approved under Cluster 2. The full draft Partnership proposal has been officially published on the European Commission website.
What is the relationship between ARCHE and RCH?
ARCHE, along with other multi-partner projects such as the Joint Programming Initiative on Cultural Heritage and Global Change and through the preparation of a SRIA, aims to pave the way for the future European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage.