Towards a European observatory for cultural heritage skills, training and education

Towards a European observatory for cultural heritage skills, training and education

With the publication of the feasibility study 'Towards a European Observatory for cultural heritage skills, training and education', CHARTER reached the final milestones of this European Skills Alliance for cultural heritage project funded under the Erasmus+ programme.

This comprehensive study examines the challenges and opportunities related to collecting and analysing skills data in the cultural heritage sector across Europe. The study presents the methodology, findings and conclusions of the study on the feasibility and characteristics of a European skills observatory on cultural heritage in support of this call to prioritise skills intelligence. It draws on extensive desk research, surveys, and interviews with key stakeholders from the sector, as well as regional cases of five ERRIN members, the Basque Country, Emilia Romagna, Flanders, Tuscany and Scotland, which have been pioneering with skills intelligence for cultural heritage.

The study confirms that fragmented data collection methods, inadequate forecasting of skills needs, and diverse governance structures hinder the development of effective heritage skills policies for addressing skills gaps and needs. It emphasises the need for a coordinated, evidence-based approach at local, national, and EU levels to support cultural heritage professionals and education and training (E&T) providers. Stakeholders have highlighted the potential of innovative public–private partnerships and called for enhanced data intelligence to update education and training policies, better identify skills gaps and inform lifelong learning and mobility initiatives.

Call for the establishment of a pilot European Observatory

The report outlines strategic recommendations  –  including the establishment of a pilot European Observatory – as essential steps toward a robust heritage skills ecosystem in Europe. This study confirms that there is no ‘one size fits all’ model for cultural heritage observatories; those analysed vary greatly in governance, funding, organisation and spheres of action. 

The study also shows how improved data collection and analysis would support the mandate and objectives of all types of heritage institutions across Europe, such as to enhance the evidence-base for updating education and training policies or to more closely identify specific heritage skills at risk across the EU. Stakeholders consulted for this study see the value in establishing a cultural heritage skills observatory in Europe and are willing to participate in a potential pilot project in several ways. 

Success factors for new European observatory would include expertise in cultural heritage, adequate resources, strong collaboration and partnerships, network building and technological innovation. Furthermore, success will depend on a supportive strategy for upskilling stakeholders in the sector and at the level of sectoral policymakers in data literacy. 

Main conclusions

Based on the findings of how observatories collect and use heritage skills-related data, five main conclusions have emerged that can guide future policymakers considering establishing a heritage skills observatory. These correspond roughly to the five scenarios set out above:

  1. Regional engagement is critical: The regional level seems critical for collecting data to identify heritage specific skills gaps at the local and regional level.
  2. Central coordination offers advantages for harmonisation: A centralised model, anchored in a national institution, would ensure consistency in data collection across Member-States for harmonised feedback to Eurostat.
  3. A mixed approach offers greater flexibility: Combining regional engagement with EU-level and national coordination allows for harmonising data collection methodologies and, possibly, ensuring policy alignment.
  4. Network-driven models offer advantages for deep engagement: Networks are a direct route to stakeholders; however, the variety of network structures and diverse areas of responsibility could pose challenges for harmonisation in data collection.
  5. Institution-based models ensure consistency but may lack local relevance: Establishing the Observatory within a single institution provides consistency, but the top-down approach risks overlooking regional specificities vital to gathering quality skills data.

What's next? 

ERRIN's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Working Group will explore in 2025 the establishment of an interregional skills partnership for cultural heritage under the Pact for Skills. the topic of skills is of interest to ERRIN's Culture and Creativity cluster. ERRIN will seek synergies with the S3 partnership for cultural and creative ecosystems. Members who are interested in following these developments, or Education and training providers (VET, higher education, and LLL) who are keen to contribute to such a partnership, can express their interest by reaching out to astrid.hannes@errin.eu. 

About CHARTER

The CHARTER project brings together and represents the whole range of the European cultural heritage sector. The 47 project partners strived to make cultural heritage's value apparent and create a resilient and responsive sector. ERRIN and six of its members pioneered this first sectoral skills blueprint project under Erasmus+ that included regions from the start and took a solid regional focus when investigating the skills demands and supply in the sector. 

  • Explore the six case studies of Regional Cultural Heritage Ecosystems here. 
  • Learn more about the CHARTER recommendations 
  • Discover all CHARTER publications here.