The UCD Masters Programme in World Heritage Management & Conservation has been conceptualized to address the skills and knowledge required to help heritage managers in solving heritage conservation and management problems, enabling them to directly contribute to the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

• The only World Heritage Management course in Ireland and one of the first of its kind in the world.
• A multidisciplinary programme, the course recognises that heritage encompasses the natural, cultural, tangible, intangible and moveable. 
• An innovative programme, we strive to demonstrate the shared challenges faced by heritage locally, nationally and internationally and provide practical training in how to address them.
• Visit Ireland's most iconic World Heritage Site, Bru na Boinne.

 

Heritage managers play a significant role in planning site management, ensuring sustainability, contributing to sustainable development and transforming the function of heritage in the life of the community. The UCD Masters Programme in World Heritage Management & Conservation  is aimed at students who wish to develop their knowledge and skills to excel at managing cultural and natural heritage sites and protected areas. We value motivated students who show a commitment and enthusiasm for tackling conservation challenges and recognise their responsibility as global citizens.

 

As a multi-disciplinary subject, heritage studies incorporates a wide diversity of heritage resources valued differently by many stakeholders. At UCD we recognise heritage encompasses natural, cultural, tangible, intangible and moveable assets that face many challenges. A key issue in the management of these resources is that cultural and natural features are treated separately even though they face similar challenges and are functionally interlinked. Our unique programme strives to account for these interlinkages in the management of cultural and natural heritages by removing dichotomy and considering them holistically. In doing so we can welcome students from diverse backgrounds and offer you the skills and expertise needed to deal with heritage management and conservation as a whole.

 

This innovative programme demonstrates the shared challenges to heritage conservation locally, nationally and internationally and provides practical training in how to address them. Furthermore, in recognition of the fact that the importance of heritage is interpreted through how it is valued, we also provide training in how to recognise stakeholders, collate and accommodate their perspectives and mediate and resolve conflict where stakeholders have conflicting interests.

 

This will be achieved through the use of in-depth globally sourced case studies, national and international field trips and classroom-based training with visiting speakers enabling students to observe best practices in heritage management. Our interactive and supportive learning environment will encourage students to develop their capacity for critical thinking, problem solving, project management and teamwork. The assessment strategy is designed to replicate real-life scenarios and include tasks such as role play, compiling or evaluating management and communication plans, using maps and IT software to assist in inventorying and monitoring as well as critically assessing sustainability at heritage sites.