Abstract:

Today, all the countries of the world are aware of the enormous wealth that constitutes their cultural heritage and the dangers that threaten it. They are also aware of the multiple cultural, economic and social reasons that justify the continuous effort that must be made to conserve and protect it. The Council of Europe has attached great importance to the teaching of cultural heritage as a task of sensitizing young people to this phenomenon, even more so if they are future tourism professionals.

This teaching innovation project, carried out during the 2020-2021 academic year (activity performed with theIrie support), has contemplated the implementation of a management strategy focused on the analysis of the different heritage elements, both tangible and intangible, that we can find on the university campus of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). We have selected this place for its proximity and comfort for teachers and students, for the possibility of carrying out practical activities and classes in the open air, highly recommended especially while the pandemic lasts, and, above all, because it constitutes an example of comprehensive heritage within reach of the students. The campus context has helped us to implement a strategic plan that allows activating all phases of the heritage management chain: research / documentation, conservation and dissemination.

With this example we have tried to raise awareness and sensitize students about good practices related to the tourist management of cultural heritage and the use of new technologies as a complement to the traditional teaching methodology. It has been a joint and coordinated work between the four teachers who teach the six groups of the Cultural Heritage Management subject in the Degree in Tourism (an average of 250 students per year). Taking into account the great importance that the tourism sector has for the Balearic Islands, this subject aims to instill in students not only the knowledge of the importance of cultural heritage as a system to diversify the tourist offer, but also the need to promote sustainable tourism and quality.

The priority lines developed in this project, aimed at blended or blended learning, have focused on the study of various aspects that, as we have already pointed out, correspond to the different phases of heritage management:
1. History of the university campus. Research and documentation phase.
2. Inventory and documentation of the architectural, archaeological and ethnological heritage and its natural environment (flora, fauna, ecosystem and nature reserves). Research and documentation phase
3. Inventory and documentation of intangible heritage. Research and documentation phase.
4. Possible limitations, protection norms, norms of use of places and resources. Conservation / protection phase.
5. Application of new technologies for the process of dissemination of results. Diffusion phase.

These priority lines of action or work plan have been reflected in a series of concrete actions that will be specified in the development of the project work or memory.

Keywords:

Education, cultural heritage, cultural tourism, new technologies.