Heritage Study Enhancement Project

In the pursuit of heritage site conservation initiatives, it is imperative to enhance higher education and establish research frameworks dedicated to heritage sites and their protection. This project aims to reinforce curriculum modules related to heritage site conservation within the College of Science and Technology which is only the college offering an architecture programme in Bhutan.

Project Title	Project for Enhancement of Heritage Education and Conservation Studies
Executive Agency	ArchiHeritage plus, Japan
Collaborating Agency	Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development (DCDD) under Ministry of Home Affairs, and College of Science and Technology (CST) under Royal University of Bhutan
Financial Support	Oriental Cultural Heritage Site Protection Alliance (OCHSPA), Paris in 2023 and 2024

Key Outputs

Project Roadmap

Jul to Aug 2023

The CST’s five-year programme for Bachelor of Architecture which was launched in 2014 annually accepts 30 students. The project aims at strengthening heritage study related modules of the CST’s Bachelor of Architecture programme, and introducing a new Postgraduate Certificate programme focused on heritage site conservation. In order to facilitate the implementation, the project has developed a project roadmap.

New Programme Documents

Jul to Aug 2023

The project prepared documents outlining the structure and contents of the new modules and programme, with a strong emphasis on the value-based heritage protection concept advocated by the DCDD. These documents were finalized during a workshop that brought together representatives from both the cultural and educational sectors. These document will be part of the programme document published by the CST Architecture Department.

Workshop on Sector Collaboration

3 to 4 Aug 2023

The two-day workshop was organized in the DCDD conference hall as part of the project’s initiative to foster collaboration between the cultural and educational sectors, aiming to advance heritage education and conservation studies. At the workshop, participants thoroughly scrutinized the project roadmap and reached unanimous agreement. The new programme documents also have been finalized.

Training of Lecturers

12 Feb to 1 Apr 2024

In alignment with the roadmap, DCDD organized a training program aimed at enhancing the instructional capabilities on heritage site conservation of 16 lecturers from CST’s architecture and civil engineering departments. The training comprising a week long classroom sessions and groupwork at a heritage site. In addition to lectures by DCDD officials, online lectures were delivered by professors from Kokugakuin University, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, the World Heritage Center, and the representative director of ArchiHeritage plus.

Field Study of CST students

2024 programme

In Aug 2024, a field study at a rural settlement will be organized for students from CST’s Architecture Department to participate in.

Teaching Materials