The curriculum in “ENHANCEMENT OF CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE”,  offered as part of the interdisciplinary focus of the present of this PhD Program, originates from the consideration of cultural heritage in terms of landscape and environment (high-profile skills in this field are present both at ISIA in Rome and in the Department of Geography at the University of Rome Tor Vergata), and also as an identity representation, in both cases of anthropic construction of which cultural heritage is an integral part.

Cultural heritage’s enhancement and protection are connected to various research areas that encompass both analysis and intervention, including each aspect that represents the result of the interrelation between human beings and the natural environment over time.

The curriculum’s focus include: Geography (spatial correlations, how cultural heritage is presented and interacted with, and landscape transformation), Geopolitics (risk areas, constructions of identity and societal representations), Cultural and Environmental Heritage Law (protection, evolution of the legal nature of cultural and environmental heritage), International Relations, Design (social engagement design, public-benefit communication, design and execution of circular supply chains, design crafting hypothetical scenarios).

Doctoral students shall demonstrate the ability to read the various components as well as play an active role in various opportunities presented by their individual programs, both within the program itself and in their external activities in the community. To this end, they shall learn quantitative analysis tools, as well as bibliographic and archival research methodologies and shall be able to construct cartographic and discursive representations as well as to plan field intervention projects. 

In this context, the study and analysis of the legal perspective for the protection of cultural and environmental heritage will also be considered. Accordingly, the collaborations with jurists from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, having expertise in the field both at an International and National level, is relevant. 

The aim of this curriculum is to train professionals to work in territorial government bodies such as the State, the Regions, Metropolitan cities and Municipalities, research institutes, consultancy firms for territorial organization and planning; NGOs for crisis intervention; public and private operators in the field of International Relations; consultancy firms for risk factor assessment; and multilateral international institutions.

As part of the educational program of the present curriculum, seminars, frontal lectures, lab activities, and study and research initiatives are organized, focusing on the theoretical aspects of various relevant disciplines, analysis, and interpretation of sources, as well as methods and procedures for field research.