Peer collaborative learning for Cultural Heritage Protection

The Asia-Europe Foundation is calling for applications for cultural and heritage workers, practitioners and organisations from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal to join in an online programme delivered by The Audience Agency, commissioned by the British Council - with online participation from July 2023 to May 2024. 

Connecting Cultural Heritage is an international peer and collaborative learning programme designed in collaboration with a range of of practitioners and organisations working in cultural heritage protection from Middle East, North Africa, East Africa and South Asia. 

Through a series of online sessions over 11 months, the programme brings together 30 individuals to learn from and support each other, focusing on what works (and what doesn’t) in Cultural Heritage Protection. The programme is designed to enable everyone to share their experiences: what they have learned, their practice, their challenges and good ideas. The ultimate aim is to support them in their future work by increasing their confidence, knowledge and support networks.

Who is it for
Connecting Cultural Heritage is designed for people who have:

• An active involvement in cultural heritage protection.
• A role such as community leader/organiser, cultural heritage practitioner, project lead/manager
• Experience of working in cultural heritage protection in one of the eligible countries:
  Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan
• A commitment to sharing, and learning ‘What Works in Cultural Heritage Protection’ with international peers
• An ability to participate virtually (access to internet and Zoom during group sessions and information-sharing platforms in between sessions)
• Some working knowledge of speaking English

What to expect
Selected participants of this programme will:

• Be committed to this programme and to being an active part of the cohort.
• Be ready to talk about your own experiences of cultural heritage protection and listen to those of others.
• Adhere to principles of peer-learning, including being open, honest, and respectful of the efforts and context of peers.
• Be curious about your learning, and about what you can learn from others.
• Consider how you can share learnings and outcomes with your community or organisations and networks beyond the programme.
• Take responsibility for your own learning. We will invite you to identify a particular area for enquiry and to keep track of this during the programme through an individual “learning log” or diary.
• Take part in all full-group sessions and at least three small group sessions during each cycle.
• Reflect and provide feedback on your experience throughout the programme for evaluation purposes.

Participants will be paid £1200 for their time and involvement in the programme. This fee will be paid in two instalments, the first at the start of the programme and the second upon successful completion of the programme.

Online Briefing Session: Transcript available
The Audience Agency held a short briefing session about the programme on 08 June 2023. You can download the transcript of the session here. 

CPF-Funded Syrian Stonemasonry project stone masonry training © World Monuments Fund

Connecting Cultural Heritage application guidelines and application form

Deadline: 19 June 2023 

Connecting Cultural Heritage is being delivered by The Audience Agency, Bayimba, Asia-Europe Foundation and Culture Resource as part of theBritish Council Cultural Protection Fund’s What Works programme.