Cultural Property Protection and Disaster Response

Graduation

Certificate
ECTS-Points

24
Learning format

Blended Learning
Duration

2 semesters, part time
Start

Winter semester 2025/26
Costs

EUR 4.440,--
Admission requirements

According to curriculum
Language

English
Curriculum

Curriculum (PDF | 140 KB)
Stackable Program

The Certificate Program (CP) offers access to the international network of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). Together with experts in international law, you will analyse current conflicts. In the CP's final simulation game, you will lead and communicate effectively in stressful situations and protect cultural property in a major international emergency.

On completion of the CP, you will be able to support emergency organisations in dealing with major international incidents as an expert in the protection of cultural property.

The "Cultural Property Protection and Disaster Response, CP", is part of the Stackable Program and can be flexibly combined with other continuing education programs up to the "Cultural Property Protection, MSc (CE)". The staggered modules of the CP offer our students greater flexibility and better integration into their working lives.

Join the international network on cultural property protection and security - the connection to the ESDC makes it possible!

Ass.-Prof. Mag. Dr.
Anna Maria Kaiser

Study Program Director – Center for Cultural Property Protection

Any questions?

We’re here to help.

Ass.-Prof. Mag. Dr.
Anna Maria Kaiser

Study Program Director

anna.kaiser@donau-uni.ac.at

+43 2732 893-2662

Or contact us directly.

To contact form

Benefit from our study program

practice-oriented
solution-oriented skills
leadership skills

European Security and Defence College (ESDC)

Learn more

Curriculum

Modules

ECTS

Module 1: International Cultural Property Protection

Module 2: International Humanitarian Law

This module is dedicated to International Humanitarian Law, the legal framework for the protection of cultural property, which is firmly embedded in the "Rules of Civilized Warfare". Students will work in small groups under the guidance of experts to develop the core elements and present them in the context of recent case studies.

Contents

In addition to the fundamental principles and concepts of the International Humanitarian Law, an understanding of human rights and the legal sources of the International Humanitarian Law provides a solid basis for legal knowledge.
Contents

Conventions specific to the protection of cultural property include the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the Roerich Pact and selected UNESCO Conventions. Actions and initiatives to protect cultural property are discussed through case studies, as are the International Criminal Court in The Hague and the enforcement of international humanitarian law.

Module 3: Leadership and Communication

This module focuses on leadership and communication, enabling students, as future professionals in the field of cultural heritage protection, to take responsibility for their staff and to communicate effectively in stressful situations. Different leadership styles and systems are introduced, and structured training in crisis communication and media relations completes the module.

Contents

The topic "Leading in Crisis Situations" focuses on approaches, leadership procedures and leadership principles of emergency organisations to provide, among other things, a basic understanding of staff work, which in turn enables to work together with various emergency response organisations at national and international level to protect cultural property.
Contents

A major challenge in any crisis or stressful situation is getting the right information to the right person in the right way, ideally at the right time. In the final structured scenario and media training, presentation techniques are adapted to your own personality.

Module 4: Table-Top Exercise Disaster Response

The CP concludes with a simulation game on crisis management and disaster response with a focus on the protection of cultural heritage. The content of the previous modules is brought together in this simulation game and woven into a complex scenario that has to be mastered - even under time pressure.

Contents

Selected working methods of crisis and task forces will be deepened and analysed with regard to time-critical cooperation in order to present them comprehensively in the final simulation game.
Contents

The scenario of the simulation game is a (natural) disaster that threatens or has claimed a large number of lives, may destroy the infrastructure of an entire region and will also affect or has affected cultural property. Cultural heritage must also be protected and recovered as part of a large-scale relief operation.