IFT invited specialists from UNESCO for heritage programme

Institute For Tourism Studies is proud to invite Dr. Richard A. Engelhardt, Consultant of Culture Policy, Creative Industries, Cultural Tourism and Heritage Convention, UNESCO, and Dr. Johannes Widodo, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore, to come to Macao and give an intensive heritage programme to the Heritage Management Year 4 Students. The two specialists in heritage conservation led the students to an on-site trip at Coloane Village on 11 June. The course “Economics of Heritage Conservation” identifies, analyses and appraises the economic and social values of the totality of Macau’s heritage assets, utilising international-standard inventory, mapping and assessment methodologies. The course is conducted in intensive modules consisting of guided field work, utilising the methodology developed by mAAN (the Modern Asian Architecture Network) for this purpose. This methodology has been endorsed and adopted as the standard of the institutions forming the UNESCO-ICCROM Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM), of which IFT is a member of the executive. In 2005, when the Historic Centre of Macao was successfully inscribed as a World Heritage Site, IFT launched “Heritage Management” bachelor degree programme in the same year. In the academic year of 2008/09, 161 students are registered in this specialisation. The first batch of 34 students has received the higher diploma of Heritage Management last year and this year, they will graduate with their bachelor degrees. IFT also organises Executive Development Programme and other training on cultural heritage, to tailor to the needs of the industry. Dr. Richard A. Engelhardt was educated in anthropology, archaeology and the history of East, South and Southeast Asia at Yale University and Harvard University. For the past 30 years, he has directed archaeology and heritage conservation projects throughout Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. In 1981, he joined the United Nations system and has worked with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, as well as a number of UN Specialised Agencies. From 1989-1991, he served as UNESCO Chief Technical Advisor on a project to modernise the national museums of the ASEAN countries. From 1991-1994 he opened and served as Head of the UNESCO Office in Cambodia, where he launched the international safeguarding campaign for Angkor. In recognition of his services in the preservation of the Angkor Monuments, H.M. King Norodom Sihanouk awarded him the prestigious title of Commandeur de l’O rd re Royal du Cambodge. In addition to his Cambodian knighthood, Dr. Engelhardt has been decorated by the governments of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam for his services to the conservation of cultural heritage. He has also been honoured by the Global Heritage Fund with a Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to the conservation of the world’s heritage. Among his UNESCO responsibilities, Dr. Engelhard serves as Chairman of the International Jury for the annual UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Conservation Awards competition, as is the Co-Convenor of the UNESCO-ICCROM Asian Academy for Heritage Management. Trained in architecture and urban history, Dr. Johannes Widodo is Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture since 2001, with a joint appointment as Research Leader in Asian Cities Cluster to Asia Research Institute (ARI) at the National University of Singapore. Dr. Widodo's area of specialisation includes architecture, urban history and morphology of Southeast Asian cities, Asian modernity, and heritage conservation in Southeast Asian context. As one of the founding members of the Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM), which was jointly established by UNESCO and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), IFT is proud to be officially appointed as the Knowledge Management Hub of the Academy, to act as the clearinghouse of training curricula and to facilitate research conference organisation and training modules development. More importantly, the Knowledge Management Hub is de facto the “AAHM Institute” carrying the responsibility to spearhead the strategic development of the network, in close collaboration with the UNESCO appointed Secretariat. In addition, being an executive member of the UNESCAP Network of Asia-Pacific Education and Training Institutes in Tourism (APETIT), IFT was elected as the first Institute Secretariat of the Network, to coordinate and enhance the exchange of tourism education in the Asia Pacific region. These two appointments are not only international recognitions of IFT’s outstanding achievement in providing cultural heritage education, but also our devotion to enhancing international cooperation. IFT will continue to support the development of Macao’s cultural industry and nurture more quality professionals.