The role of education on the enhancement of heritage awareness and sustainability of the built environment; learning from experts and students

Abstract

This paper presents the outcomes of Intellectual Output 2 (IO2) of the HERSUS research project. The scope of the survey was to create an argumentative and critically analysed report on the state of learning of sustainability and heritage in higher education. The study is based on the dissemination of two online questionnaires within the five HERSUS participating countries/institutions (Serbia, Italy, Cyprus, Greece and Spain). The first addresses experts in the fields of cultural heritage conservation and sustainable environmental design, occupied in academia, public administration, NGOs and the private sector. The second directs queries to students at master level studies, PhD researchers and recent alumni from academic institutions, in the five participating countries, regarding their experience from their study programs, their expectations and future prospects in the professional environment. The survey analysis was conducted independently for each country and comparisons derive from the review of the international summed outcome. The results of the survey conducted in Greece, are discussed here, reflecting the views of 10 experts and 120 students. The analysis reveals comparable results among responses, with similarity and variation between the views of experts and students. Common ground between the two groups of respondents is found for the establishment of further links between academic education and professional practice, interdisciplinarity in education, and the need for a more systematic correlation between concepts of sustainability and heritage.