Scuola Superiore ISUFI
Sector of Cultural Heritage: Knowledge and Development
University of Salento

Cultural Heritage is one of the four sectors of institute for advanced studies ISUFI of the University of Salento. According to the common philosophy of the school/laboratory ISUFI, the sector offers courses of Advanced Studies and of Research characterised by the interdisciplinary, residency, internationalization and closely link to the area. Cultural Heritage sector includes a school of Advanced Studies, research laboratories and service centres aimed to the cultural sector operators.
The vision of the sector focuses on cultural heritage to create a strategic asset to develop local social and local economy. For this purpose:
1. Technical knowledge works with human competence and advanced economic managerial examples.
2. Academic knowledge, contact with the most highly experienced professionals of the business world and with local administration.

High Education
The sector has put into action the following educational programs:
- Pre-graduate 1st and 2nd level programs.
- International 2nd level Master degree in ‘Development of Cultural Heritage.’
- Ph.D. Program in ‘Knowledge and Development of cultural heritage.’

Research
Objectives of the research activity.
The sector has planned the following research aims for the period of 2006-2008:
- To study a way of cataloguing cultural heritage oriented towards the market;
- To develop a prototype of ‘Cultural District of Salento’. Using a widespread laboratory for the innovative development of local cultural heritage;
- To study innovative technology and material for the diagnosis and intervention of cultural heritage.
- To develop and turn usable existing cultural heritage connecting the use and implementation of ICT technology.
- To develop research, experimentation and prototypes of innovative methodology for the Learning through the information New Technologies.
To fulfil the research aims the following research laboratories have been put into action:
-Cultural and Environmental District
(Laboratory for the socio-economical analysis of the cultural districts and for cataloguing oriented towards the market).
- ICT and New Languages for the Cultural Communication
(Laboratory for the Innovative Technology for the knowledge and development of cultural heritage).
- Laboratory of architectural restoration.
The activities take place within interdisciplinary groups with professionals working in economical, historic, artistic, cultural, technical scientific fields, IT and law. Furthermore a number of prestige national and international scholars offers their scientific and guiding skills for the research activities within the three laboratories.