On Monday, 11 September 2023, a joint meeting of the expert group of the four T4EU members – University of Primorska and the University of Trieste as organizers, the Lithuanian Vytautas Magnus University and the French Jean Monnet University – took place in Trieste, at the Department of Humanities, and in Koper, at the UP FHŠ.

One of the important activities that brings together the members of the T4EU project is the theme of cultural heritage, understood in the context of sustainable and meaningful representation and interpretation. Critical Heritage Studies is an emerging interdisciplinary field that explores the ways in which the past is used in the present, with research focusing on what we choose (or not) to preserve and why we choose to do it.

In Trieste the expert group first reviewed the work done so far, especially the content produced within the T4EU week in Kaunas, that was dedicated to the topic of critical heritage studies — both from research and a study point of view. The meeting concluded with an overview of the methods used and possible project proposals.

In Koper at UP FHŠ, the participants were welcomed by the Rector of the UP, Prof. Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, and by the representatives of the expert group: Dean of UP FHŠ, Prof. Dr. Irena Lazar, Assist. Prof. Dr. Neža Lipovec Čebron, Assist. Prof. Dr. Zrinka Mileusnić and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katja Hrobat Virloget; who presented the activities of the UNESCO Chair in Interpretation and Education for the Promotion of Integrated Approaches to Heritage, which is based at UP, and the scientific research work in the field of heritage at UP FHŠ.

The meeting helped to identify the specific areas in which researchers from the field from the four universities can pool their knowledge and experience and prepare common content for students and joint programmes, that are an asset for interdisciplinary and internationally enriched studies. And after the strong foundation will be laid, the umbrella area of the T4EU project can also be transferred to other members of the European University, thus strengthening the network, providing students from UP with a broad European study experience.