Application Deadline: 22 February 2025
Application Platform:https://forms.iccrom.org/form/IAWH25China
Organisers:
World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITRAP-Shanghai), ICCROM, IUCN and the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment
We are seeking up to 25 participants to join the next capacity building course on International Course on Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context (IAWH25 Hangzhou). The course will explore how impact assessment and multidisciplinary cooperation can be useful for supporting better decision-making: both by identifying solutions for both protecting World Heritage properties, and by encouraging high-quality sustainable development.
The course is made of two components:
1.A mandatory self-paced introductory online course to impact assessment that will be accessible through the ICCROM eLearning platform from 10 to 17 March 2025 with a mandatory course assignment;
2.An in-person course from 19 to 23 May 2025 (travel dates excluded) that will take place in Hangzhou, China.
The working language of this capacity building activity is English.
Why is this course needed?
World Heritage properties continue to face pressure from various forms of development – including commercial and residential projects, energy projects, transport infrastructure and tourism development – and other significant changes that can affect their Outstanding Universal Value. State of Conservation reports often bring these issues to the attention of the World Heritage Committee, which has long requested impact assessments to inform better decision-making for the future of World Heritage. To respond to these Committee requests and comply with the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, States Parties, local authorities and World Heritage management teams have increasingly sought guidance and support to build capacities on impact assessment.
The objectives of this course are to:
introduce participants to the updated methodology of the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage context;
equip participants with current knowledge of and skills to use impact assessments to inform decision-making regarding various factors affecting heritage in general and World Heritage properties in particular;
provide participants with knowledge and skills to review the existing heritage management system and establish an environment than enables the application of impact assessment as a tool for good decision-making and planning;
provide participants with knowledge on management and monitoring requirements and reporting mechanisms for World Heritage properties;
communicate the benefits of linking nature and culture and the role of impact assessments in heritage management planning effectively;
promote the exchange of experiences and information in heritage management and conservation among practitioners.
What is the content of the course?
This online course will introduce participants to the methodology outlined in the updated Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage context (July 2022), which was prepared by the three Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Convention (ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN) in partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre under the coordination of the ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme.
As a result, the course content will be aligned with the most recently-revised Operational Guidelines, policy documents approved by States Parties and decisions taken by the World Heritage Committee.
The course will be structured around the 11 steps of the Toolkit and then expand on what makes an enabling environment for good impact assessment, and how this overall process can help improve the management of World Heritage.
The course will tackle the following overarching topics:
Heritage Place Approach
Analysing heritage values and attributes
Analysing the factors affecting the heritage place
Process and Principles of Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context
Methodology for Impact Assessment and its 11 steps
Creating an enabling environment for Impact Assessment
Who is the course for?
This course specifically targets:
heritage practitioners and individuals from institutions with responsibilities related to managing World Heritage properties, or other heritage places;
heritage practitioners involved in an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) or other type of impact assessment related to a World Heritage property or other heritage place;
impact assessment specialists working with heritage places and in particular World Heritage;
officials and decision-makers whose State Party has been requested to conduct an impact assessment by the World Heritage Committee; and
community members, other practitioners or heritage stakeholders involved in impact assessments at heritage places.
Applications are open to all regions and professionals and priority will be given to applications received from individuals working in the region of Asia and the Pacific.
Course schedule
The course will be implemented following this schedule:
Introductory online session (1 hour): 11 March 2025 at 09.00 Rome / 16.00 Beijing;
Online self-paced introductory course to Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context open to participants from 10 to 17 March 2025;
Online Q&A session (2 hours): 18 March 2025 at 11.00 Rome / 18.00 Beijing;
Deadline for the submission of online coursework: 23 March 2025;
In-person course on Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context: 19 to 23 May 2025 (travel dates excluded) in Hangzhou, China.
The online self-paced course will provide an overview of the content of the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Content focusing on processes and principles of Impact Assessment and the 11 step methodology presented by the Guidance and Toolkit.
After the completion of the online course, participants will be required to submit a short coursework reflecting on the management system of their World Heritage properties and case studies to analyse the different components of the system and identify existing challenges and opportunities.
The in-person course will take place from 19 to 23 May (travel dates excluded) in Hangzhou, China. During the in-person course participants will apply the methodology of the Guidance to the shared case study.
Course costs
There is no course fee to attend, however participants will be required to complete the mandatory self-paced online course and the annexed coursework in order to attend the in-person course.
Certificate
A certificate of attendance given by ICCROM and WHITRAP will be awarded to participants who complete the course in all its components.
Travel, accommodation and living expenses
Participants joining the in-person course will be required to cover their travel expenses (terminal costs and airfare), travel and health insurance, accommodation and meals in Hangzhou, China. WHITRAP Shanghai will provide a list of hotels with different price-range options to facilitate logistics. Participants should budget for a minimum of 800 USD for accommodation and local meals for the entire duration of the in-person course.
Participants from African countries and Small Island Developing States can apply for financial support to cover their international airfare to the ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme. This funding is made possible by the Ireland National Monuments Service Scholarship, established through a partnership with Ireland's National Monuments Service (NMS).
How to apply
Applications should be received by 22 February 2025 by completing the following process:
1. Complete the online application form in English: https://forms.iccrom.org/form/IAWH25China
2. Upload a personal photo.
3. Upload a copy of your passport.
4. Upload a brief version of your professional curriculum vitae highlighting your most relevant experience (in English; maximum two pages).
5. Upload the official endorsement of your institution, which confirms that you have the support of your workplace for taking the time to complete the entire course.
For those interested in applying for a travel scholarship, please upload a letter of intent explaining the reasons why you are applying for the scholarship and what the course can help you achieve professionally and at your World Heritage property.
Allowed formats: pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg, png, tif, tiff; maximum file size 5 MB.
If you encounter any issues submitting your application via the ICCROM website, please email us at: whl@iccrom.org and training@whitr-ap.org.