Integrated Territorial & Urban Conservation (ITUC): International Training Course on Managing Urban Heritage for Sustainable Development

Course dates: 15-27 September 2025 (excluding travel dates)

Course fee: free – only 25 spaces are available

Historic cities face growing threats from disasters, pressures from tourism and development and environmental changes. Addressing these challenges requires integrated strategies that bridge heritage conservation with urban planning, risk management, and long-term development.

The Historic Center of Urbino, a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Italy, presents a unique opportunity for examining these issues. Renowned for its Renaissance urban layout and architecture, Urbino also exemplifies many challenges and opportunities associated with the management of medium-sized historic cities. 

ICCROM and the Municipality of Urbino are pleased to announce “Integrated Territorial & Urban Conservation (ITUC) – Managing Urban Heritage for Sustainable Development”; a specialized international course aimed at equipping heritage and planning professionals with the tools and methodologies to safeguard urban heritage and enhance its role in fostering sustainable and resilient development and improving the quality of lives of local residents.  

This two-week course is part of ICCROM’s Urban Heritage for Sustainable Development (UH4SD) initiative, which fosters peer-to-peer learning and the exchange of best practices among historic cities, including those on the World Heritage List. The course is implemented in collaboration with the ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme. 

The course content covers relevant topics, such as:

• – Mapping and assessing urban heritage attributes and values
• – Impact Assessment for urban heritage (IA)
• – Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Resilience for Historic Cities
• – Legal Frameworks & Multi-Level Urban Governance
• – Social and Economic Regeneration of Historic Cities
• – Digital Tools in Urban Heritage Management
• – Public Participation and Actors’ Engagement

The content of the course will be delivered through interactive lectures and hands on field work and exercises. During the course, participants will engage with various stakeholders to explore how integrated territorial and urban planning can strengthen heritage conservation and resilience while benefiting local communities.

Travel, Accommodation, and Expenses

Participants are responsible for their travel expenses to and from Italy, as well as local transportation to and from Urbino. Accommodation and meals during the course will be provided by the organizers.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit their application by completing the online application form in English by 20 June 2025, including:

• – a personal photo  
• – a brief version of your professional curriculum vitae highlighting your most relevant experience (in English; maximum two pages)  

Allowed formats: pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg, png, tif, tiff; maximum file size 5 MB.  

Click here for details and to submit an application.