“MA Program in Security and Cultural Heritage Studies”

1. About the University

The Ionian University is located on the gem of the Mediterranean, the island of Corfu. The university originated from the Ionian Academy founded in 1824, which was the first institution of higher education in modern Greek history and in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The Laboratory for Geo-cultural Analyses (GEOLAB) of the Department of Foreign Language Translation and Interpreting (D.F.L.T.I.) at the Ionian University serves as the executing body for the distinguished UNESCO Chair on Threats to Cultural Heritage and Cultural Heritage related Activities, which is the only chair in the Greek universities dedicated to cultural heritage studies. Ionian University co-founded with Beijing Language and Culture University the Hellenic Sinology Center. Professor Stavros KATSIOS, Director of GEOLAB, serves as the holder of the UNESCO Chair and is the Director of the Hellenic Sinology Center.

2. Program Overview

The MA program in in Security and Cultural Heritage Studies offered by GEOLAB (D.F.L.T.I.) of the Ionian University aims to provide students with comprehensive insights into various security issues related to cultural heritage and develop high-level talents in the field of cultural heritage for China and EU countries. Students who graduate from the program will acquire necessary knowledge and skills to understand, analyse, and address the complex challenges that pose a threat to cultural heritage.

The MA program in in Security and Cultural Heritage Studies features an interdisciplinary curriculum drawing from perspectives and expertise in anthropology, archaeology, history, art history, political science, law, environmental and tourism studies, encompassing foundational modules, core modules and dissertation. In addition to basic classroom learning, opportunities such as internships, field trips, summer schools, and practical workshops are randomly provided to equip students with practical experience.

As a specialized MA Program focuses on educating and specializing students in the sustainable management and development of cultural heritage and related activities focusing on security, with specific fields of reference:

• cultural heritage and cultural resources;
• the management of the economic, social, ecological and cultural sustainability of the cultural heritage in accordance with the standards and the objectives of UNESCO;
• policies for cultural heritage and its protection;
• identifying, analyzing and assessing threats to cultural heritage;
• multilevel issues related to tangible cultural heritage in the context of globalization, thematic reforms, cultural significance, global tourism, migration, energy policy and the environmental crisis;
• cultural heritage and modern forms of conventional or/and hybrid conflicts;
• innovative participatory management of cultural heritage and its stakeholders;
• the role of communication and information technologies in the management and protection of cultural heritage and tourism;
• cultural diversity management and communication techniques for the sustainability of relevant economic sectors such as tourism;
• Illicit trafficking of art and antiquities;
• the securitization of Cultural Heritage.

3. Program Duration and Credits

1,5 years, 3 semesters (two semester courses attendance and one semester master thesis research) and offering upon completion, 90 ECTS.


4. Mode of Study

Distance learning in English Language. The Hellenic Sinology Center (HSC) of the Ionian University will support upon availability those Chinese students who wish to follow the third semester (or more upon extension) of the program based in Corfu, Greece; It will provide them with access to the Ionian University library and teaching courses and offering them research facilities (shared offices, internet access, pc’s, printers). 


5. Admission Requirements

1. Applicants are expected to hold a bachelor’s degree or above. There is no specific requirement about the applicant’s major, but majors related to literature, history, law and philosophy are preferred.

2. Applicants are expected to demonstrate proficiency in English communication, as all courses are instructed in English. Applicants must provide valid English proficiency certificates.

6. Application Documents

Verification report of the degree certificate you have already acquired, official graduation and degree certificates in both Chinese and English, official transcripts in both Chinese and English, CV in both Chinese and English, language proficiency certificate/score in both Chinese and English.


7. Admission Plan

Number of Admissions: 25 for Academic Year 2024/2025
Application Period: November 2024
Interview Date: December 2024
Start Date: February 2025


8. Admission procedure

Admission procedures are overseen by designated interviewers from the Ionian University. Applicants who fulfil the criteria will be interviewed and selected based on comprehensive assessment. Upon approval, offer letters will be sent out uniformly.

9. Tuition Fee

Tuition fee for this program is 5.000 Euro; any additional costs, like living expenses and accommodation fees, etc., are self-funded.

10. Degree Awarding

Upon completion of the required courses, credits, and dissertation within the duration, students will be awarded the master’s degree in “Security and Cultural Heritage Studies” at Ionian University. Outstanding graduates, as evaluated by the Ionian University, may be prioritized for recommendation into the joint doctoral program. Ionian University is accredited by the Chinese Ministry of Education, and graduates can have their master’s degrees certified by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange.

Note:

The MA program in Security and Cultural Heritage Studies at the Ionian University, Greece, is implemented by the Department of Foreign Languages Translation and Interpreting and supported by the UNESCO Chair on Threats to Cultural Heritage and Cultural Heritage related Activities and by the Hellenic Sinology Center (HSC), co-founded by Beijing Language and Culture University and the Ionian University in Corfu, Greece. The Director of the MA Program, also in his capacity as UNESCO Chair holder and director of the HSC, oversees the smooth progress of the program's enrolment and talent development:

1. Parallel sessions, seminars complimentary to the MA program may take place abroad upon decision of the Director of the MA Program;

2. For Chinese speaking applicants who did not qualify for the program due to their failure to meet the English proficiency standards alone, the Hellenic Sinology Center (HSC) may introduce them to entrusted relevant Chinese institutions in order to organize and conduct English training (with additional training fees);

3. The MA program in Security and Cultural Heritage Studies provides, according to the regulation governing its operation, supervisors for the students admitted to the program, offering one-on-one academic guidance to ensure that students can produce a high-quality dissertation and acquire their master's degree;

4. The Hellenic Sinology Center (HSC) of the Ionian University will provide one-stop assistance for applicants by providing various conveniences for Chinese students during their time of studies in Greece.