On the evening of April 13 2026, Beijing time, WHITR-AP Shanghai and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Tongji University organized the first session of the Steering Committee of the International Network for Urban-rural Heritage Conservation in Higher Education Institutions (UHC-HEI). The Steering Committee, as determined in the Network’s Charter, is the governing body of the Network. It was set up at the first General Assembly on 24 October 2025 (click for details).

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Composed of representatives from 11 institutions, its members include institutions from the Arab States: the International University of Rabat, UNESCO Chair on the Historic Urban Landscape, Morocco; from the Asia Pacific region: the University of Melbourne, Australian Centre of Architectural History and Urban and Cultural Heritage, Australia, Tongji University, CAUP, China, Woxsen University, School of Architecture and Planning, India, National University of Singapore, Singapore; from Europe: Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, France, Portucalense University, Department of architecture and Multimedia Gallaecia Portugal, University of Seville, School of Architecture, Spain, Abdullah Gül University, Faculty of Architecture, Turkey; from the Latin America region: University of Cuenca, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Ecuador; and an International Organization, the Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA).

First Online UHC-HEI Network Steering Committee Session

Organised by the Network’s Secretariat, the first online session of the Steering Committee of the UHC-HEI network reviewed the Secretariat’s progress report, discussed the organisation of the forthcoming activities, examined the Network’s institutional development, a new membership application and members’ new initiatives. Chaired by Prof. Shao Yong at CAUP, Tongji University, Secretary General of WHITR-AP and Director of WHITR-AP Shanghai, Ms. Marie-Noël Tournoux, project director of WHITR-AP Shanghai, Coordinator of the UHC-HEI Network and Prof. Plácido González Martínez at the University of Seville, Executive Editor, Built Heritage Journal, Project Specialist, WHITR-AP Shanghai, the online session gathered 16 participants.

The Steering Committee session welcomed, as observers, the evaluation team commissioned by UNESCO to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of WHITR-AP as part of the renewal process for its Category 2 Centre agreement.

The primary objectives of the inaugural Steering Committee session was to review operational progress since the first General Assembly in October 2025, to plan upcoming activities including the next General Assembly and next scientific academic conference, to introduce new membership applications to expand the network’s global reach and expertise, and to strengthen the network’s institutional framework and collaborative platforms.

According to the adopted Agenda, the Committee reviewed the follow-up of the two main activities organized in 2025, the international conference “Reshaping Urban Heritage Conservation in Higher Education: What, How, for Whom?” （click for details) and the exhibition on the “Heritage Educational Landscape” (click for details). A special issue (click for details) of Built Heritage Journal and a publication of the conference proceedings are currently being prepared. For the Heritage Educational Landscape Study, an online version of the exhibition is under preparation, a study questionnaire is being developed, and the Secretariat is in discussion with ICOMOS CIF regarding their parallel survey on architectural conservation education.

Additionally, the Committee outlined an ambitious schedule for 2026 and 2027. Prof. Zhang Peng, Vice Dean of the CAUP at Tongji University, confirmed that the 3rd ICOMOS University Forum will be held at Tongji (click for details of the 2nd University Forum). Co-hosted by Tongji University and ICOMOS China, and co-organised by WHITR-AP Shanghai, the forum will take place on 27 October 2026. Prof. Shao Yong added that the next General Assembly will be held back-to-back with the Forum. Prof. Plácido González Martínez then provided a comprehensive overview of the stages involved in organising the second UHC-HEI Academic Conference, scheduled for October/November 2027 in Seville, Spain. 

Plácido González Martínez introducing the second UHC-HEI Academic Conference

Furthermore, several ongoing member-led initiatives were highlighted. Prof. Rajdeep Routh, Woxen University, Hyderabad, India, presented the current outcomes of the Call for Book Chapters on Governing Heritage in the Asia-Pacific. Prof. Burak Asiliskender, School of Architecture, Abdullah Gül University (AGÜ), Kayseri, Türkiye, introduced the multi-stakeholder workshop focusing on “Roots and Future of Trade: Kayseri Historic Bazaar District” (16–18 April 2026). Then, Ms. Marie-Noël Tournoux provided information on the forthcoming ICOMOS CIF Masterclass on “Training the Trainers,” which will be held at the next ICOMOS General Assembly in Kuching, Malaysia from 17 to 24 October 2026 (click for details).

Burak Asiliskender introducing his work

On institutional development, the Secretariat updated the Committee on the network’s expansion, new cooperation and enriched contacts in the Africa region and Latin America. Furthermore, it mentioned the Network’s participation in the “Brainstorming Session on World Heritage Higher Education in Africa” (click for details) organized by the World Heritage Centre, UNESCO. Finally, the Committee discussed new memberships and the integration process.

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The UHC-HEI Network: Background and Development

The UHC-HEI Network was initiated in Shanghai, China, on 27 September 2023 at the International Conference on Urban Heritage Conservation and Design for Sustainable Development. It was established in Shanghai, China, on 25 October 2025 at the International Conference on Reshaping Heritage Conservation In Higher Education: What, How, For Whom? It was designed as a platform to strengthen cooperation with and among Universities and Higher Education Institutions that have recognized urban heritage conservation and design for sustainable development as a key subject of their teaching, research, and practice. 

Pursuing the long term goals of higher education to equip students with innovative skills, the Network aims to explore new notions and methods advocating the heritage protection and development linkage. This is done to realize the shared vision of integrating heritage in the contemporary design of cities, architecture, and landscapes in rapidly developing and changing urban and rural areas.

For more information, please click the link.

Contributed by Marie-Noël Tournoux & Ye Shuzhen (Intern)

Photos provided by WHITR-AP Shanghai

Designed by Ye Shuzhen (Intern)

Web typeset by Zhang Yidan (Intern)

Edited by Liu Zhen 

Reviewed by Shao Yong