The content of the programme is in line with current trends in the European Union, such as the need to promote a participatory and more open cultural heritage governance process, focused on local resident involvement, sustainability, digitization and the use of modern technology to make heritage accessible and attractive.
Recognition of the economic potential of cultural heritage, critical heritage studies, heritage interpretation and reinterpretation, modern communication, interdisciplinarity and cooperation among heritage industry professionals, specialists with a wide range of knowledge about the industry, challenges of the tourism industry are also important.
These trends have fostered the development of the study programme content, which consists of three parts:
The section on cultural heritage analyzes cultural heritage from different perspectives, its types (both similarities and differences) with the aim to discuss cultural heritage studies at a theoretical level and to show how the understanding of heritage has developed under the influence of various factors. The importance of heritage as a resource (economic, educational, leisure, tourism, social integration, etc.) is being emphasized.
The thematic section on governance is focused on the strategic management aspects of a modern cultural heritage organization – such organizations that are able to follow a participatory heritage governance approach and implement the potential of cultural heritage (including economic), while prioritizing heritage protection and public involvement. Strategic management of organizations, integrated marketing communication, creative entrepreneurship are balanced with the management of memory organizations.
The Interpretation and Communication section is focused on promoting public involvement in heritage governance, modern, community-friendly and binding forms of heritage interpretation with the aim to explain the heritage value.
