Table of Contents
Background and Need
Education is the foundation for taking responsibility for heritage. Nevertheless, the reflection and development of educational processes in the context of heritage remain underdeveloped in both theory and practice – particularly in Germany. This is especially problematic because the climate crisis and global threats endanger cultural and natural heritage, while educational approaches represent an important instrument for its long-term protection. At the same time, key international conventions – such as the World Heritage Convention (UNESCO 1972), the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO 2003), and the Faro Convention (Council of Europe 2005) – explicitly formulate educational mandates.
In educational practice, a classical understanding of heritage prevails, one that focuses on material cultural assets and historical perspectives. Questions concerning the meanings people attribute to heritage today, how heritage is currently used or lived, or how it may contribute to sustainable societal development in the future are still rarely addressed. As a result, the potential of heritage for sustainable, transcultural, and interdisciplinary learning also remains largely unexplored.
The development of sustainable heritage education – enabling people to critically reflect on their diverse heritage and actively using it to shape an open, democratic, and sustainable society – therefore represents a significant desideratum in Germany.
Heritage Education
Heritage education, as it is conceptually and practically developed within the project, understands heritage as an inspiring resource for shaping sustainable futures that connect past, present and future as well as local and global perspectives.
While many existing educational approaches focus on learning about heritage or learning for heritage, heritage education aims to enable learning through heritage with a focus on the future of society. The potential of heritage education lies in jointly exploring the significance heritage holds for local and global communities and the possibilities it offers for shaping the future. The project understands heritage as a space of experience for questions concerning life and living together. In this way, heritage education is connected to the educational aims of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and becomes a basis for thinking about and communicating sustainable futures through lived experience.
Interdisciplinary perspectives, participation, and co-creation form central principles of an inclusive and emancipatory heritage education. At the same time, connections to political education emerge, particularly through the open discussion of how people wish to live together today and in the future and what significance they attribute to heritage in this context.
Project Goals
The overarching goal of the project is the development and strengthening of heritage education as a sustainable educational approach. To achieve this, a concept for holistic and sustainable heritage education will be developed and prepared in the form of a practical guide for educational actors at heritage sites.
Another objective of the project is to connect heritage education more closely with global educational strategies, particularly Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and transformative education. At the same time, the project aims to increase the visibility of the potentials of heritage for current societal debates as well as for sustainable development and societal transformation.
Project Implementation
The project has a duration of two years and started in April 2026. It follows a participatory approach: actors from heritage sites are involved in conceptualising heritage education and developing a practical guide in order to ensure relevance, practical applicability, and suitability for target groups.
During the first phase, the current state of research and existing approaches to sustainable heritage education are assessed and research gaps identified. At the same time, actors from heritage sites are integrated into the participatory process regarding their previous experiences with heritage and sustainability in educational work. On this basis, an initial draft for a concept paper on sustainable heritage education is developed.
In the second phase, the concept paper is jointly discussed and further developed in workshops with the participating actors. Based on the initial draft, concrete strategies for action tailored to the different conditions and needs of individual heritage sites are developed. The results form the basis of the final concept paper.
The third phase focuses on practical implementation. The aim is to develop a practice-oriented guide for actors at heritage sites that provides orientation for implementing heritage education and includes exemplary recommendations for action. In workshops, the structure, content, and format of the guide are developed with the participating actors. The project concludes with a conference.
Partners
The project is transdisciplinary in nature and combines Heritage Studies with education. This interaction shapes both the project’s theoretical conception and its practical implementation.
The Institut Futur (Freie Universität Berlin) supports the project with its expertise in research and practice in the field of Education for Sustainable Development. The Centre of Garden Art and Landscape Architecture (CGL) at Leibniz University Hannover advises the project particularly with regard to educational work at heritage sites and contributes experience from the DBU project “Education in Historic Gardens”.
In addition, the working group “Heritage and Education”, initiated by the DBU, is involved throughout the project. The working group currently consists of the IHS, the Institut Futur, and the Centre of Garden Art and Landscape Architecture and has already played a key role in the development of the project.
Ein Projekt des Institute Heritage Studies (IHS)
mit der Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU).
