Integrated heritage management from the history hall of the Cujae

Abstract

The mission of the "José Antonio Echeverría" History Room, Cujae (HHC), is to promote the relevance of its tangible and intangible heritage to the university and its visitors through teaching, research, and outreach. In 2016, it reopened with a new functional approach that prioritizes the principles of university sociocultural work (extension management). Consequently, it became imperative to undertake a comprehensive research initiative aimed at providing a theoretical and methodological foundation for the integrative management approach employed to enhance the understanding of university cultural heritage within the SHC, ensuring its sustainability through substantive processes. This management is operationalized in the Institutional Project "Conservation of University Heritage."

The Cujae was declared a National Monument on December 2, 2024, signifying a significant milestone in the institution's 60th anniversary year. A management plan was formulated, encompassing various programs, including those dedicated to understanding, interpreting, and communicating the property. The methodological approach encompasses documentary analysis, interviews, and participant observation, culminating in the establishment of a theoretical-methodological framework for the integrated heritage management employed by the SHC. This framework is instrumental in facilitating the integration of substantive processes, with a pronounced emphasis on the extension and praxis of integral formation. The HHC, as a center for the promotion of culture, has made significant contributions, particularly in the domain of university heritage. It employs an integrative management approach for the substantive processes, a strategy that has proven to be both flexible and dynamic in nature. This approach has enabled the SHC to sustain itself over time, while also validating the praxis of integral formation as a novel academic form for professional development