The Master programme “Heritage-Driven Disaster Resilient Societies in Digital Transition” is part of the Horizon Europe project “RESILIAGE”, coordinated by POLITO, focused on building skills in Cultural and Natural Heritage and Disaster Risk Reduction. Learners will develop expertise to address the climate crisis by contributing to plans and projects that enhance societal preparedness and community resilience.

 

The programme covers

• Methods for assessing community resilience, with a focus on historical and cultural elements.
• Digital tools to gather and visualise data, and strategies for engaging multiple stakeholders in disaster management.
• Collaborative approaches to using heritage as a resource to strengthen community resilience.

 

Graduates will be able to

• Involve local communities in disaster mitigation efforts, improve decision-making, and create trusted sources of information.
• Apply community-based methods to use local heritage and knowledge for managing climate and disaster risks.
• Support public authorities, cultural organisations, first responders, tech companies, and NGOs in crisis and disaster contexts.
• Promote sustainable development through digital solutions and design policies that integrate heritage into disaster risk reduction strategies.
• Additionally, learners will gain skills to contribute to policy-making and adaptive governance structures, aligning with regional and international standards to tackle climate and disaster challenges.

 

Target group

The Master’s programme targets knowledge organisations, policy makers, citizens and civil society, and first responders, providing skills in cultural and natural heritage, disaster risk reduction, human factors analysis, and climate crisis adaptation. The programme introduces a new approach that uses heritage as a driver for community resilience.

The following organisations and sectors need these skills across Europe and beyond:

• Public institutions: National, regional, and local authorities managing heritage resources, urban planning, and disaster management. They need professionals who can incorporate heritage into risk reduction and resilience strategies.
• Cultural organisations: Museums, cultural associations, and heritage sites require experts to manage risks, especially in areas vulnerable to natural disasters and climate impacts.
• Geoparks and environmental conservation areas: UNESCO Global Geoparks and similar organisations need professionals who can use natural and cultural heritage for sustainable development and disaster risk mitigation.
• NGOs: NGOs in environmental sustainability and heritage protection seek individuals who can use digital tools for community engagement and disaster preparedness.
• Citizen associations: Local organisations focused on heritage, disaster preparedness, and environmental activism need professionals to engage stakeholders and integrate heritage into climate adaptation strategies.
• Policy makers: Those shaping policies related to cultural heritage, disaster management, and climate adaptation require a deep understanding of how heritage can build community resilience.
• First responders: Emergency services such as firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement officers benefit from training that helps them integrate cultural and natural heritage into disaster response plans.

 

Training objectives

The Master programme aims to equip students with the following skills, either to enhance their current career paths or to shift into new areas of expertise:

• Leveraging cultural and natural heritage for disaster risk reduction.
• Recognizing and using local heritage as a community resource.
• Applying community-based methods to engage multiple stakeholders, including citizens, in disaster risk management (DRM).
• Using bottom-up and collaborative/co-creation approaches for integrating heritage into community resilience strategies.
• Employing digital technologies to support solutions and co-create digital tools.
• Facilitating community engagement through heritage.
• Developing strategies to foster citizens’ commitment to resilience and disaster preparedness.

Partner Universities’ Roles

• University of Unimes (UNIMES), France: Contributes through hybrid teaching activities.
• University of Crete (UoC), Greece: Also provides hybrid teaching activities.
• UNESCO: Offers limited in-person internship opportunities.

These partners, alongside POLITO, are collaborating to offer an intersectoral and interdisciplinary Master program. Each university is completing its internal approval process to issue parallel degrees. The expertise from these institutions, combined with the RESILIAGE project’s goals, ensures a comprehensive and innovative learning experience for students.